


Molten Gold

by Intern_Seraph



Series: In Their Eyes [1]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Blood and Violence, Dubiously Consensual Kissing, Extended Canon, F/M, Gun Violence, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, MC has a job, MC has some backstory, Main Story takes place over 2 months, Mental Health Issues, Minor Character Death, Murder, Not Really Character Death, OCs are all minor characters, POV Second Person, POV Third Person, Rating is subject to change, Reader-Insert, Slightly Altered Timeline, Slow To Update, Some Fluff, Spoilers for 707's Route, Spoilers in general, Weird dreams, alternating pov, and yeah the title is kinda cliche-, god i can't believe that last one's a tag fghyjui, i know the prologue is short just plz bear with me, lots of emotions in general, mild body horror, reader is main character, tags will be added as needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-04-20 12:42:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 25,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14261208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Intern_Seraph/pseuds/Intern_Seraph
Summary: Chatroom Open.It’s from an app you don’t recognize. The hell is an RFA messenger? Your finger hovers hesitantly over the notification. Something about this rubs you the wrong way.But, hey, what do you have to lose?The hook dangles temptingly before you, and you bite.





	1. Prologue: Pandora

**Author's Note:**

> ~~I ACTUALLY HAVE A PLAN FOR THIS GUYS I'M GETTING BETTER-~~  
>  Hey! I've had this in the works since early January, and I'm finally getting around to starting to post it and work on chapters again ^^ I'm hoping to keep this updated, though I will say that a consistent schedule is probably not gonna happen, considering my track record with this stuff lol. I will say that chapter 1 is already complete, and chapter 2 is currently in the works and aroooooouuuuund halfway done.  
> I'd also like to thank my lovely beta readers, Kotallwie and Ender. You guys are great <3

It’s past 4PM when you first arrive at Incheon Airport. While you wait for your luggage, you stretch your limbs and hear a few concerning _pops._ You shuffle through the airport and putter into one of the fast-food joints close to your terminal. The wifi is acceptable, enough to get you by while you check up on your social media and double-check when the shuttle to your hotel will arrive.

Overall, however, the effect of moving to an entirely new country is… surprisingly underwhelming. Aside from the general ache in your limbs (and the crick in your neck, christ, why didn’t you get one of those travel pillows?), you feel just about the same, as well. Maybe the shock hasn’t quite set in yet.

While on the shuttle to the hotel—along with a tourist couple who _won’t stop making eyes at each other_ —you stare silently out the window. The other people in the car try and fail to make conversation, then simply leave you be.

You take the time to think.

For now, you know that you’re stuck living in a hotel. Until you can find a cheap place of your own to stay at, that is. You suddenly regret neglecting to look for an apartment when you were back in the states. Oh well. It’s too late for that now.

Right now, you have a free week to do whatever you please with. You’ve been given this time to settle in before you have to start work, so you should make the most of it... So, you plan out the week: Stay in your room. Overcome the jet lag. Eat. Sleep. Look for apartments…

Sleep.

The car stops at that thought. You check into the hotel and settle into your room. Already you feel tired, even though you slept on the plane.

Without even realizing it, you’ve crawled into bed and are fast asleep.

—

–

-

A small smile forms on the pale man’s lips as he pauses mid-scroll. _Ah,_ now this is interesting. He browses the woman’s profile for a bit longer, nodding in approval at what he sees. Young, pretty, smart, kind, those are certainly compelling for the task he has in mind for her. Seeing that she’s from out of the country makes it even better. But what sticks out to him the most about her, what makes him feel _truly_ confident that she’s the one, is what he finds when he digs deeper. Something about her reminds him of himself… The _darkness_ he sees, it’s perfect.

Now _this_ is someone worthy of Paradise.

That in mind, he breaks into her phone and transfers the program.

-

–

—

You wake up to a still-dark sky. With a groan of frustration, you read the digital clock on the nightstand: 05:00. Your eyes flutter shut, but you can’t get yourself to fall back asleep. From somewhere on your bedside, you hear a buzz. You reach blindly for your phone and unlock it.

“What…”

You squint at your screen.

_Chatroom Open._

You blink rapidly to clear the sleep from your eyes. You read the notification again.

_Chatroom Open._

It’s from an app you don’t recognize. The hell is an RFA messenger? Your finger hovers hesitantly over the notification. Something about this rubs you the wrong way.

But, hey, what do you have to lose?

The hook dangles temptingly before you, and you bite.

 

_MC has entered the chatroom._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Greek mythology, **Pandora** was the first human woman, created by the gods. Gifted with curiosity and a mysterious jar, she was fated to release the ills of the world upon mankind by opening the jar, although one final blessing remained inside: Hope.


	2. 1: Marawa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have to pay you back somehow, uh.. wait, what’s your name?”
> 
> He stares at you blankly for a moment. Then, he smirks and shakes his head. “You don’t need to know,” he says, waving you off as he starts to walk away again. “If we see each other again, maybe I’ll tell you.”
> 
> And with that, he’s gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finding a good title for this was tough lol  
> This whole fic will be a nightmare in terms of chapter titles, honestly. Oh well, I brought this upon myself.  
> Chapter 2 will be up once 3 is either done or mostly done!

Unknown: … Hello..?

MC: ?

Unknown: Can you see this?

MC: Yeah.

MC: Why?

Unknown: That’s a relief ^^

Unknown: It’s working…

MC: what

MC: what are you talking about??

Unknown: Oh, sorry… I wasn’t sure if this would work…

MC: If what would work? Who are you? What’s going on?

Unknown: I should explain.

MC: please.

 

The mystery person explains that they’re a student abroad in China, and that they found a phone while on the way to class earlier today. Apparently, all that was on the phone was your number and this mysterious messenger app.

 

MC: So, what, you just opened up the mystery app to text the mystery number?

MC: Why?

Unknown: Well, I wanted to make sure the phone’s owner got it back…

MC: Couldn’t you just contact the police???

Unknown: Well, I feel like I have an obligation to do this myself…

Unknown: After all, I was the one who found the phone.

MC: I mean fair enough but still

MC: There are people who can handle this better than we can by ourselves

Unknown: True, true

Unknown: But I’d like to do this myself before going to the authorities

Unknown: And you’re all I’ve got

 

You chat with him for a while longer, going back and forth about whether or not you should help him and talking briefly about yourselves. Somehow, somehow, this stranger manages to convince you to go along with his plan. You find yourself standing in the subway, clutching onto the handhold and holding your scarf over your mouth and nose. _‘It’s too early for this,’_ you think as you make eye contact with a couple of the other listless passengers. There’s a pale man sitting across from you, hunched over and staring intently at his phone. His leather jacket droops over one shoulder, exposing his skin and tattoo (Tattoo? Is that a gang thing?). Isn’t he cold? You shiver sympathetically. Poor guy.

The subway doors open at your stop, and you step out. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the pale man exit, as well.

You lean against the wall and pull out your phone to text Unknown.

 

MC: it’s so early… there was barely anyone on the subway

Unknown: Huh, that’s pretty lucky

Unknown: It gets packed later in the day

MC: lol

MC: Yeah, I’ve heard

 

You feel as though there are eyes on you, and you look around to find the source. A few feet away, you spot the same man from the car. He’s staring intensely at his phone, brow furrowed in concentration. Something compels you to approach him.

“Hey,” you say as you move to sit beside him. He startles and immediately kills his display. He looks at you, eyes wide. They’re entrancing, in a way, a bright seafoam green that can’t possibly be natural.

“What do you want?” he mutters. “I’m busy.”

“Oh…” You hadn’t thought of that. “Uh, well, I’m new to the city, and I was wondering if you could help me find this address?” You hold out your phone and show him the address Unknown had given you.

His expression takes on something like vague interest, and he takes your phone. “New to the city, huh?” he asks casually. “Foreign?”

You laugh nervously. “Is my accent that bad?”

He chuckles and hands your phone back. “No, you sound pretty native. But you don’t look or act native.”

“And you can tell from just one look?” You raise an eyebrow, and he laughs again.

“Well, no, but your phone is all in English, and I see you have a text asking-”

“Alright, alright, I get it.” You roll your eyes. “So how about those directions?”

“Right.” He tells you what he thinks would be the easiest, fastest route to the building. With that, he rises and moves to walk away.

“Wait!”

“What? What else could you need?” You can see his frown through the fabric of the mask he wears.

“I have to pay you back somehow, uh.. wait, what’s your name?”

He stares at you blankly for a moment. Then, he smirks and shakes his head. “You don’t need to know,” he says, waving you off as he starts to walk away again. “If we see each other again, maybe I’ll tell you.”

And with that, he’s gone. Vanished into the crowd. You gape wordlessly for a moment. Then, you sigh and start following the directions he gave you. In less than half an hour, you’re standing in front of a posh-looking apartment building.

 

MC: I’m at the building

Unknown: That fast?

MC: I asked a guy for help lolol

MC: He looked cold T-T

Unknown: Cold?

MC: He wasn’t even wearing his jacket all the way on one arm…

Unknown: Oh, I see

Unknown: Yeah, sounds miserable.

 

You enter the building and look around the lobby. There are no security guards, no receptionists, not even a resident or two milling around. You check your phone again for the apartment number. 14th floor? Hopefully the elevators are working..

Thankfully, they are. You step into the elevator and press the button and-

Wait.

What are you doing?

Are you really gonna go to some strange apartment on the request of a total stranger? Are you really that gullible?

You scan the messages again. Something doesn’t add up, and you find it just as the elevator _ding_ s. If it was 5AM in Korea when you made contact with Unknown, then it was 4AM in China, where he claimed to be staying. School didn’t start at such wild hours as far as you were aware, so…

You swallow thickly. Tricked. You were tricked. And now, you were likely walking straight into a trap...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Marawa** is a Melanesian trickster spirit, who managed to trick humanity out of its immortality.


	3. 2: Olfad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MC: Are you asking me to break into a stranger’s house??  
> Unknown: You can just leave a note with an explanation of the circumstances~  
> MC: you’re actually asking me to break into a stranger’s house right now  
> Unknown: Well when you put it that way…  
> MC: oh my god

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while (Over a month D:) and I'm super sorry about that! I wanted to get this chapter out after I had 3 at around 3/4 completion. I hit a block for a while, but now I'm back in the groove. I need to finish up chapter 3 and title it, it'll be posted once chapter 4 reaches around 5-6 pages on my writing doc. My past works have always ended up unfinished due to me posting chapters too early and having large gaps between releases, I hope to avoid that problem here.
> 
> On another note, I have the Zen route "companion" to this fic started up, although it won't be seeing release for some time. I plan on writing one of these for every route.... wish me luck OTL

This was all so suspicious, how had you not caught it before? You quickly start taking screenshots of the conversation. The elevator stops just as you finish taking the last screenshot. Hesitantly, you step out. Although it’s against your best judgement, something in you urges you to go and visit the apartment. Your feet seem to move independently of your thoughts, delivering you to the address Unknown had given you.

 

MC: I’m here

Unknown: Great!

Unknown: Is anyone home?

MC: Uhhhh

MC: Hold on

 

Hand stiff, you reach up and rap your knuckles once, twice, three times against the door. No answer. You ring the doorbell. No answer.

 

MC: Nobody’s home…

Unknown: Hmmm…

Unknown: Ahhh, there was something else on the phone!

MC: There was?

Unknown: Yeah, a password. Is there a password lock on the door?

 

You inspect the door handle and, surely enough, there’s a password lock. On the shiny metal you can see, “R.F.A.” engraved, along with a little emblem.

 

MC: Yep

Unknown: ! This is perfect!

Unknown: I’ll give you the password, and you can put it in!

MC: ;;;

MC: Are you asking me to break into a stranger’s house??

Unknown: You can just leave a note with an explanation of the circumstances~

MC: you’re actually asking me to break into a stranger’s house right now

Unknown: Well when you put it that way…

MC: oh my god

Unknown: …

Unknown: please?

 

Before you can stop yourself, you type:

 

MC: Fine.

 

The passcode he gives you is a long string of letters and numbers that you check and double check before inputting, although not before you take a few more screenshots.

 

MC: It’s open.

Unknown: Well, go on!

MC: I don’t like this;;

 

Still, you open the door. The hinges creak in protest, how long has it been since this place has been used..? You step into yet another hallway, although this opens into what looks to be a luxury apartment.

You don’t have much time to admire it, however. Not when your phone suddenly shrieks out an ear-piercing tone, causing you to yelp and nearly drop it. Not when you’re too focused on the green text filling your screen. Not when you see a new chatroom replace the old one, this time hosting five different people, not including yourself.

“Hooooly shit.”

The chat goes too quickly for you to follow at first—it seems that even though the chatroom announced your arrival its users haven’t noticed you—but after a moment you figure out what’s going on. Something to do with this Yoosung person’s college life.

 

707:  _ Wait!! _

Yoosung★: Why?

ZEN: ??

707:  **Think someone entered the chatroom;;**

Jumin Han: MC…?

 

You can’t get yourself to reply at first and just watch the users panic over your presence. As soon as you unfreeze your fingers, though, you manage a reply:

 

MC: .. Hi?

MC: Uh, I’m not a hacker

MC: (or an it)

MC: I also have no idea what’s going on here so uh.. Please don’t hurt me;;

Yoosung★: IT’S TALKING

MC: =^=

 

Quickly, you learn that the location you’re in is supposed to be top-secret. This only increases your confusion. If none of these people had led you here, then who  _ did? _

 

Yoosung★: WHO ARE YOU?! HOW DID YOU GET INTO RIKA’S APARTMENT?!

Yoosung★:  HOW DID YOU GET THIS APP?!

MC: Funny you say that;;

Jaehee Kang: I assume you broke in.

MC: Well…

ZEN: But then how’d she get in??

Jaehee Kang: Well, she just confirmed it, didn’t she?

Jumin Han: MC… Just who are you?

MC: ;;;

MC: How about you let me explain

MC: I promise, I’m just as confused as you are.

Jumin Han: Please do.

Jumin Han: Or you will pay.

MC: scary;;

ZEN: Stranger you will pay? Lmfao

ZEN: omg~  _ so scary~ _

ZEN:  _ It might be a girl~ _

707: That’s sexist lol

MC: ^^;

MC: Don’t worry~ I can take it~

MC: lol

707: lol

MC: Well, you’re not wrong about the girl thing ^^

ZEN: Really now?

707: I’m checking that right now~

Jumin Han:  **Hey.**

Jumin Han:  **Don’t get distracted.**

MC: EEP

Yoosung★: Oh, right. Username MC…

Jaehee Kang: An abrupt stranger.

MC: why are you being so dramatic about this;;

ZEN: lmao

707:  _ my hands r shaking as I hack _

MC: omg;;

MC: Just like

MC: Let me explain already lol

Jumin Han: Please do.

MC: yes sir;;

 

You quickly recount what had happened to you, from the moment you woke up to the moment you entered this chatroom.

 

MC: I don’t know why I was sent here, or who sent me.

MC: It couldn’t have been any of you or someone you know, right?

Jaehee Kang: You are correct.

Jaehee Kang: The only people who know that address are Luciel and V…

MC: who and who

Jaehee Kang: Luciel is 707’s real name.

Yoosung★: lol isn’t it weird?

ZEN: lmao

MC: It’s not that strange ^^;

707: OMG

707: That’s a holy name~

707: Now I have to go pray~

MC: omg ^^;

MC: What about V?

Jaehee Kang: V is the leader of our organization.

MC: I see…

MC: So uh

MC: Could you guys introduce yourselves?

ZEN: Sure~

 

With some resistance from Jaehee and Jumin, the other participants introduce themselves. Immediately, you feel…  _ insecure. _ A talented actor, a genius hacker,  _ and _ the heir to an international corporation, all in one group… Jaehee and Yoosung seem to be the only moderately normal people. The fact that Jumin seems to be a  _ bit _ of a cat freak only slightly lessens his intimidation factor. At least the cat’s cute.

 

Jumin Han: Back to the current issue.

Jumin Han: You never introduced yourself.

MC: Oh yeah! Sorry;;

MC: I’m MC. I’m 26 years old, and I recently finished college. I flew in last night for work here in Seoul.

Jaehee Kang: What kind of work?

MC: Therapy. I’m with an international advocacy group ^^

MC: Still not sure how I got in, but I’m not complaining lol

Yoosung★:  **So cool!**

MC: Thanks lol

707: Hmm~

MC: ?

707: Yep!

707: Your story checks out! ^^

MC: what

Jaehee Kang: You didn’t…

MC: .. Were you serious about the hacking??

707: Can’t say~

MC: omg

Jaehee Kang: … You did.

MC: That’s a breach of my privacy, y’know

707: Can’t prove I did it ^^

 

You banter back and forth for a few minutes longer before 707 alerts the chat that he’s calling “V”. The subject immediately switches back with what to do with you, up until the man himself arrives.

 

_ V has entered the chatroom. _

ZEN: Show me a photo.

707: Nope~

707: How dare you try to violate someone’s privacy like that.

MC: You’re one to talk, Mr. Hacker

707: GASP!

MC: Besides, I can send my own pics later if I’m not like

MC: killed off for knowing this info or w/e

Yoosung★: KILLED OFF?!

Yoosung★: We wouldn’t kill you T-T

MC: I hope so lol

V: I’m sure we won’t have to do something so drastic ^^

Jumin Han: V.

V: Good morning, everybody

 

The others exchange pleasantries with him, then immediately begin the discussion again. You learn of the organization’s purpose, of the organization’s namesake, and that the apartment may or may not be haunted by the ghost of a dead girl. Before you even have a chance to truly process the flood of information, you’re offered a position as the RFA party coordinator.

 

MC: Well uh

MC: If it’s between this and jail

MC: I’ll do the job lol

MC: Besides, it sounds like a cool opportunity ^^

V: Thank you

V: I hope you do well.

MC: I’ll do my best ^^

V: Everyone,

V: I know that this is sudden.

V: But for now, please trust my decision.

V:  707 will look into that person called “Unknown”.

Jaehee Kang: Are we really going to let her join so suddenly?

Jumin Han: I have to agree. We don’t even know her that well yet.

ZEN: I trust her~

Jumin Han: Is that because she’s a woman?

MC: Oh gosh ^^;

V: MC, please do not touch anything in the apartment.

V: The documents there are classified…

V: And you will be able to do all of your work from your app. ^^

MC: ?? Why are you saying that like…

Yoosung★: Like?

MC: wait

MC: omg

MC: omgomgomg

ZEN: ??

MC: Are you letting me stay here?!

MC: Like… as a home?

V: Yes..

V: Will that be a problem?

MC: No

MC: No omg

MC: This is great!!

ZEN: Huh?

707: Oh wait lol

707: You didn’t have a place to stay when you moved here, right?

ZEN: WHAT?

MC: Don’t say it like that;;

MC: But yeah

MC: I was going to be staying in a hotel until I could find a permanent place lol

MC: You just saved me so much time ^^

MC: Thank you, really.

V: Of course.

V: I have to go again, but I hope we can speak again soon.

V: Goodbye everyone.

_ V has left the chatroom. _

 

Once V leaves, the others slowly trickle out, as well. Eventually, you’re left with 707.

 

MC: Just the two of us~

707: lolol

707: You sound fun lol

MC: I’m the life of the party.

MC: I even have a bunch of interesting facts memorized.

707: Oooooh~

707: Maybe we can share sometime~!

MC: Haha!

MC: Maybe ^^

MC: You seem fun, too

MC: Even though this started out super weird.. I have high hopes ^^

707: You’ll like it here~

707: Oh!

MC: ?

707: If you have anything on that hacker, could you message me about it?

707: I know you said the log was deleted, but anything you know might help.

MC: Hmmm…

MC: Oh wait! I took screenshots of the whole conversation!

707: PERFECT!

MC: :D

707: Just send them to me over private message~

MC: Will do ^^

707: Well

707: I gtg

MC: Talk to you later ^^

707: Byebye~

MC: Byeeee~

_ 707 has left the chatroom. _

_ MC has left the chatroom. _

  
You find yourself smiling slightly at your screen when the chatroom is closed. You quickly shake it off in favor of a small frown. What just happened? That was real, right? You look up and quickly scan the room. It’s nice. It looks well tended to.. maybe a bit dusty.. Had Rika died  _ here, _ in this apartment? You walk over to the little kitchen area and swipe a thumb over the counter, examining the fine layer of dust. The place will definitely need some serious cleaning, but… it’s  _ yours _ now. You have a home. And hopefully, once you’ve settled in and you get to know the RFA better, you’ll have people you can call your friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Olfad** is a Micronesian trickster god, responsible for the presence of both cats and fire.
> 
> Yes, I will be using V's emoji set in this fic. I couldn't help it. I'm weak ;-;


	4. 3: Coyote

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 707: MC~  
> 707: MCCC~~  
> 707: MCCCCCC~~~  
> MC: omg

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news! Chapter 4 is ready for launch soon! Better news! Chapter 5 should be ready soon!  
> I'll be going in and editing previous chapters to have little blurbs in the end notes about each chapter title, I chose them for a reason ^^

For the third time today, you find yourself on the subway. For a moment, you think back to that pale man you spoke to earlier. Maybe you might see him again… it sounded like he expected just that.

You follow his instructions back to the apartment, this time with your luggage in tow. You’re a bit worried about moving in to the apartment: It is still very much so a breathing hazard, with the added possibilities of very spoiled food in the fridge or maybe the ghost of a dead party planner haunting the place. They’re both equally bad options in your book. Hopefully you can clean things up in a timely manner, you’d really hate to have to work on things for more than a day or two…

Just as you arrive at the door, your phone rings.

“Hello?” You balance your phone on your shoulder as you punch in the passcode. “Who is this?”

 _“Yoosung Kim!”_ the voice on the other end is eager and boyish. If you hadn’t immediately recognized that name from the chatroom, you would have thought him to be some high schooler who managed to find your number. _“Is this MC?”_

You nod absentmindedly before remembering that he can’t see you. “Yeah, that’s me.” The door shuts behind you, and you set the phone to speaker. “It’s good to hear your voice!”

He giggles nervously. It’s cute, infectious enough to get you to smile. _“I-It’s good to hear you, too!”_ He clears his throat loudly. _“Anyway! Uh, what’re you up to?”_

“I just got back to the apartment,” you say. You start to lay out all of your stuff on the floor. “I’m just unpacking right now… This place needs some serious dusting.”

 _“Is it really that bad?”_ His voice carries a hint of disappointment in it. _“I mean, I know it’s been a long time, but…”_

“I’ll make sure to get everything back in good condition. Anyways,” you feel that the subject needs to be changed to something less stressful, “what’s up? Any reason why you called?”

_“O-oh! Seven gave us all your number, and I wanted to see if it was really yours.”_

“You don’t trust he’d give you the right number?” You start to wipe down the kitchen counters as you speak.

 _“He likes to prank me a lot…”_ You can almost hear him pouting.

You laugh softly. “I’m sure it’s all in good humor.”

He groans, and you laugh even harder. _“Don’t laugh at me..!”_

“Sorry, you just sound pretty cute.” The fridge is empty, which is a relief. You wonder if the place was cleaned out after she died, or if anyone stayed here in the first place. After all, aside from all the dust, the place is immaculate. “You’re in college, right?”

_“C-cute?! Uh, um, I mean, yeah!”_

“What’s your major?” The filing cabinets tempt you from the corner of your eye. You choose to ignore them.

_“Uh…”_

“You don’t have to tell me. I was just curious.”

_“Yeah, I’ve been, um…”_

“Struggling?”

_“Yeah…”_

“Well, if you ever need help, you can call me. I think I still remember some of my gen ed stuff.”

_“Really?! Do… do you think we could meet up sometime?”_

Your eyebrows shoot up. Still, this could be a good opportunity to get to know him. “Sure. Do you want to meet this week?”

He squeaks. Cute. _“Th-this week? Uh, yeah! Does Wednesday work for you?”_

“Yep. We can work out details later?”

_“I-Yeah! Sure! Wow, this is great!”_

“Ha, I’m glad you think so. You think you could show me around the city, too?” You pick up the phone again and shoulder it as you fiddle with the bedspread. If you try to air it out, you’re afraid it would make the place a health hazard. It’ll likely need to be replaced…

 _“Could I?! Yeah!”_ Excitement practically radiates off of your phone. _“I’ll have to get a list ready… this is gonna be great!”_

“I’m sure it will be. Oh… by the way… it’s 7AM.. do you have any classes today?” There’s a worrying period of silence before you hear a long breath on the other end.

 _“Well MC I gotta go talktoyoulaterbye!”_ He hangs up before you can say goodbye. You smile, shaking your head slightly. Cute. You take another look at the room. So far, it has not magically cleaned itself.

Less cute.

Time to go shopping.

—

–

-

 

_MC has entered the chatroom._

MC: I’m allowed to like

MC: Replace some of the stuff in here, right?

MC: Because some of this is literally caked in dust

_Jumin Han has entered the chatroom._

Jumin Han: It should be fine.

MC: Hey Jumin!

Jumin Han: Hello, MC.

Jumin Han: Are you still moving in?

MC: Yep

MC: I brought all my luggage to the apartment but like

MC: It’s so dusty in here T-T

MC: I need to go get new sheets… and maybe new pillows…

MC: T-T

Jumin Han: You can’t get it washed?

MC: I don’t know where to go for that T-T

Jumin Han: Ah, that’s right, you just moved here.

MC: I’ll probably just look up directions to the closest laundromat…

MC: I forgot what it’s like to be new in town OTL

 

You talk with him at length about your plans for the week. When you mention meeting Yoosung, he seems to take some issue with it.

 

Jumin Han: You should ask V or Luciel before making any plans.

MC: ?? Why?

Jumin Han: We still don’t know how trustworthy you are.

MC: But… aren’t I part of the organization now?

Jumin Han: Correct.

Jumin Han: However, it would still be wise to ask them.

MC: .. Alright…

 

You make a mental note to send a message to Seven soon. Actually…

 

MC: I should get going.

MC: I need to send some messages to Seven

MC: And go shopping

Jumin Han: Take care.

MC: You too, talk to you later!

_MC has left the chatroom._

 

You switch to the DM tab. So far, you only have messages from one person: 707.

 

707: M!

707: C!

707: Gimme those screenies~

707: MC~

707: MCCC~~

707: MCCCCCC~~~

MC: omg

MC: I was in the chatroom!

707: SHE LIVES!

707: HALLELUJAH!

MC: I RISE

707: Up from the ashes!

MC: YES!!

707: I never thought I’d live to see such a thing! Wow!

MC: Have your eyes been blessed?

707: My vision~ Cleansed~

MC: Hahaha

MC: Good ^^

MC: Because it’s time for screenies

707: Gimme gimme~

 

You start the upload—over 20 images of the chatroom.

 

707: YES!

707: PERFECT!

707: You have! No idea!

707: How great it is to have these!

MC: I figured they’d come in handy lol

707: Muah! Muah! The Defender of Justice thanks you for your contribution to the cause!

MC: >///< This lone citizen is glad she was able to help!

MC: Could she get a favor in return~?

707: Gasp!

707: A favor?

707: What do you need?

MC: Just an answer to a question

MC: I was talking to Yoosung on the phone and offered to meet with him on Wednesday

MC: Is that okay with you?

MC: Jumin said it’d be best to ask you lol

707: Hmmm…

707: Well, if I’m done running my background check by then and you’re clean…

707: Then it should be a-ok!

MC: Yay!

MC: Thank you!

707: Nooooo problem!

707: Now I gotta go!

MC: Talk to you later?

707: Talk to you later!

707: Va-va-voom~!

 

-

–

—

He immediately places the screenshots in a folder for later reading—right now he has something far more pressing to take care of. The monitor he’s filled with browser tabs and ~~stolen~~ found files stares him in the face. Everything he has on her, all here. It had been all too easy to find her social media pages, and from there he’d found her family, her friends…

And perhaps some more private things.

His cursor hovers over a batch of files he’d acquired. Medical records, prescriptions, and insurance statements. A lot of them. Most of them seemed to be clumped together into short increments of time. He could find out damaging things from these… but…

He closes the files and moves to delete them. Her health is her business, he decides. If she wants to reveal whatever was or is happening with her, she can do that herself. They have no bearing on his current task.

He sighs and runs a hand through his unwashed hair. He has a long day ahead of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The **coyote** is a prominent figure in the mythology of various Native American tribes, a revered trickster character whose roles also include those of a creator and a comic relief.


	5. 4: Zorya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He can see her through the camera feed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm tryin to make these chapters over 1000 words but it's so hard omg  
> But hey, this one's 1.4k!!  
> Anyways, I had a lot of fun with this chapter (as I always do). Since Saeran week is fast approaching, I'll be working on my pieces for that, rather than new chapters for Molten Gold. As such, look forward to that series if you're a Saeran fan! But consequently, the next MG chapter will have a longer wait attached. Hope you all enjoy what I have for you today, though!

“It’s late,” you say, lying back on your new sheets.

 _“Ah, but you see!”_ Seven exclaims. _“The nighttime is the perfect time to talk!”_

You laugh into your palm, shifting the phone in your grip. “And why is that?”

He hums into the receiver. _“Because~”_ Then he stops. You hear his soft breathing on the other end. Then, quietly, he mumbles, _“... I, uh… I didn’t think I’d get this far. Oh.. Oh wait, I’ve got it!”_ He laughs, crisp and clear. He clears his throat, and in a deep announcer’s voice continues, _“Well you see! It’s this time of night when the Defender of Justice is most needed! When evildoers are afoot!”_

You smile and turn on your side. “Does the Defender of Justice need something from this citizen?”

_“Well! Before my long night of crime-fighting can begin, I have to inform you of something!”_

“What’s up?”

_“You’ve been cleared!”_

“Cleared?”

_“Mhm! You’re all safe, so that means you can meet up with Yoosung, no problem!”_

You exhale slowly, then beam up at the ceiling. “Oh, that’s great! I’ll have to text him tomorrow morning… Are you staying up?”

_“Of course! I have evildoers to battle! Justice to serve!”_

“If you say so.. just make sure you get some rest, okay?”

 _“If the lady says so. Defender of Justice Seven-Zero-Seven is out! Whoosh!”_ He hangs up, and you watch as the caller screen fades. His icon is cute. A weird little white chicken-thing, as far as you can tell. You trace the lines with your eyes, then kill your display and set the phone on the nightstand. It’s Tuesday now, well, not for much longer, and you’ve been spending most of your time deep-cleaning the apartment and shopping. Now that your spot in RFA is solidified, you feel more secure in trying to personalize the apartment as much as you can. Haunted or no, this is your home now.

You make a mental note to text Yoosung tomorrow. Turning on your side and staring out the window into the city, you close your eyes and fall asleep.

-

–

—

He can see her through the camera feed. Well, only part of her. The bulge of the bedsheets that signals legs is all that’s visible from the open bedroom door. He turns away quickly, facing his work. It’s odd, really. Usually, he has no problem with watching people without their knowing. In fact, he considers himself to be a bit of a voyeur. But right now, he finds it hard to force himself to monitor her. Something about it feels… _wrong._ It’s probably just as well, though. His work needs to take priority… after all, there’s no telling what the consequences will be if he slacks off.

And speak of the devil…

He smells him before he hears him. Cigarette smoke, punctuated by a subtle cologne. It’s thick and overpowering; if he hadn’t already been used to the smell, it would make him sick.

“You’d better not be messing around, Zero-Seven!” His handler’s voice is _almost_ as biting as his scent.

He whirls around in his computer chair and gives Vanderwood a winning smile. “Oh, Madame, what a pleasure it is to see you again!” He narrowly dodges the rolled up paper the other man wields, just barely catching a swipe across his ear. “Just as friendly as ever!”

“Cut the shit, Agent.” When he turns, the light catches his subtle dark circles just enough to highlight his exhaustion. “You know how important this is.”

“Yeah,” Seven sighs, sagging slightly in his seat. “Yeah, I know. I was just taking care of something else, but!” He flinches back against the cushion as Vanderwood raises the paper again and turns back to his computers. “I was just getting back to work when you showed up!”

“Really now.” The disbelief is thick in Vanderwood’s voice, but he seems to be satisfied when he sees Seven get back to work. He pulls up a chair beside the redhead and looks at the live feed. “Didn’t know you were into that stuff.”

“What?” He doesn’t dare spare a glance over at whatever the other man is focused on.

“Watching people sleep.”

He jolts, then starts to laugh. “Oh, that’s just the girl I was talking about.” His fingers glide deftly across the keys, performing a dance he’s done so many times that it’s become second nature. “Just gotta make sure she’s not looking at any super secret stuff in there, yaknow?”

“Uh huh.”

Silence overtakes the room, save for the _clack clack clack_ of the keys. To Seven, it’s suffocating. The smell, the silence, the overwhelming _fear._ He catches himself glancing over at the live feed every now and then. It’s like a breath of fresh air to him, and that thought alone is paralyzing in its own way.

—

–

-

 

MC: YOOSUNG

MC: WE CAN MEET UP TODAY

Yoosung★: WE CAN?!

Yoosung★: WOO!

MC: WOO!

MC: Wanna go for lunch or something?

Yoosung★: Yeah! I know the perfect place!!!

MC: Send send!

 

He sends you an address, and after a quick check, you learn that it’s a café. Apparently the food is good.

 

MC: Looks good to me!

Yoosung★: Yay!!!

MC: I’ll send you a pic of myself so you know who I am?

Yoosung★: Ooooohhh yes please!

Yoosung★: Can’t believe I get to see you before everyone else lol

MC: Pff

MC: Hold on a sec

 

You snap a photo of yourself sitting at the table with your breakfast and send it. As you wait for a response, you go to the cabinet and find the single pill bottle you’d stashed in there. You take out a little seafoam-green tablet and pop it in your mouth, chasing it down with water.

 

Yoosung★: Oh woe

Yoosung★: woe

MC: Woe?

Yoosung★: WOW I MEANY WOW

MC: Pfff

MC: I’ll see you there?

Yoosung★: Yes!! Bye!

 

You mill around the apartment, call your boss, check your outfit. Time slows as you wait to go. Would it be awkward if you arrived early? You pace a loop around the living room, then sit and see that a chatroom is open.

 

_MC has entered the chatroom._

MC: Good mooooorning!!

ZEN: MC! We were just talking about you~

MC: Good things, I hope?

ZEN: Of course!

ZEN: Only good things~

Jaehee Kang: Well…

Jaehee Kang: Nevermind. Have you eaten yet?

MC: Yeah, I had breakfast a couple hours ago.

ZEN: Good.

ZEN: A lady needs to have full meals!

MC: Lol

MC: Have you guys eaten?

 

You find it hard to focus on the conversation (Which very quickly turns to Zen’s acting. Not that you’re complaining when the photos Jaehee sends of him are so amazing). The clock ticks faster whenever you look at it.

 

ZEN: Do you have anything to do today?

MC: Oh, yeah!

MC: I’m meeting Yoosung for lunch ^^

Jaehee Kang: So soon?

ZEN: He gets to see you already? Damn…

ZEN: I was hoping to be the first…

Jaehee Kang: Well, technically neither of you would be the first to see her.

MC: Yeah, I think Seven’s seen my photos.

ZEN: Ugh, I forgot about that…

MC: If it makes you feel any better, I could send you the same photo I sent him?

ZEN: **COULD YOU?!**

ZEN: I mean.

ZEN: Yes!

MC: lololol

MC: Hold on.

_MC has sent a photo_

ZEN: So…

ZEN: Cute!

Jaehee Kang: It’s nice to have a face to put to a name.

Jaehee Kang: And yes, you’re rather pretty ^^

MC: You’re too kind omg

MC: lol

MC: Well shit

MC: It’s almost noon D:

MC: I gotta go, talk to you later!

Jaehee Kang: Travel safely.

ZEN: Bye~

_MC has left the chatroom._

 

You toss your phone into your purse, along with your wallet and a little bottle of Tiaranol. It takes all of 15 minutes to reach the café. At first, you don’t see anyone resembling the photos you’d seen of Yoosung. Then, you spot the puff of golden hair among a sea of brown and black and run to meet him. He startles when you tap him on the shoulder, but smiles at you when he turns and sees your face.

“Yoosung Kim, right?” you ask.

“Yeah! Then you’re MC?” His eyes sparkle with excitement.

“Mhm. Wanna grab a seat?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Zorya** is a Slavic goddess, representative of the morning and evening stars. She's said to guard the doomsday hound, who is chained to polaris. If this hound were to break its chains, it would bring about the destruction of the universe. Zorya is generally a guardian deity, and protects soldiers and travelers alike.


	6. 5: Lyaeus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> By the time you two part ways, you’re already thinking of meeting up again. He’s a good kid, you decide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry for the time it's taken to update! If you haven't read my Saeran week pieces, I burned out HARD as I was finishing those. Serves me right for writing 7 whole oneshots in so little time I guess lol. But hey! I'm back (Just in time for Saeyoung week!)! Updates will still be slow for now, I'm getting back into my groove after around a month of no progress.
> 
> In other news, I'm so excited for the in-game event coming up! The illustration they released honestly healed my soul, I love my boys and girl so much =u=

“So what subject are you having the most trouble in?”

“We’re really starting with _that?”_ He looks gloomy as he drinks his coffee. You only laugh. “Come on, what about something that’s not about school? Like… like…”

“Games? You like those, right?”

He visibly lights up. “Yes! Games! Have you ever heard of LOLOL? It’s my favorite—super fun!”

“So, tell me about it.”

He starts to talk about the game, although even after his in-depth explanation you feel lost. “Wait, what kind of game is this again?”

“Fantasy!”

“Not quite what I meant, but okay…”

“I just got this really cool skin the other day, wanna see?”

“Of course!” It’s easy to catch his enthusiasm. It feels almost contagious, bubbling up from him and spilling over into you.

He shows you some photos on his phone, still beaming. “It took two days to get this!”

You give a low whistle. “Two days?”

“Yeah, but it was so worth it.”

You both fall into a comfortable silence for a few more minutes before he speaks up again.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

He stares into the depths of his coffee. “For listening to me.”

You nod, silently encouraging him to continue.

“It’s just—Well—The others, they don’t really listen to me when I talk about this.” His fingers twitch against the sides of the mug. “I don’t think they’d ever let me get half as far as I got with you… Except Seven, maybe.”

You nod again. “I see.”

He knocks back the rest of his coffee. “So, uh, what kinda stuff do you like?”

You hum and stir your tea thoughtfully. “I like my field,” you say after some thinking. “I’ve always been really interested in it.”

“Really? Why?”

This gives you some pause. You choose your next words carefully. “Well, it’s been… a personal interest of mine, I guess. Psychology is something very important to me. I’ve loved it since I was in high school.”

“Oh, wow! So cool!” Yoosung’s eyes glitter with intrigue. “I wish I knew what I wanted to do back in high school…” The spark is gone, and he looks back down at his now-empty mug. “I feel kinda lost now.”

You reach across the table and pat his shoulder. “Hey, no worries. You’re still young, you have time to decide on a career. You wanna talk about it?”

He shakes his head almost imperceptibly. “Not really… Maybe later.”

“Alright, we’ll put a pin in it for now. How about we head out and you can show me around the city?”

He looks up at you from under his lashes, and you catch a small smile. “Yeah, let’s do that.”

—

–

-

“What the fuck are you doing?”

Seven shoves his hand into the plastic bag and pulls out a handful of chips. His focus briefly flickers over to Vanderwood’s face, then back to the monitor. “Watchin’,” he replies through a mouthful of Honey Buddha. To his satisfaction, Vanderwood recoils as crumbs fly.

“Ugh, what the hell? You’re disgusting!”

He chews and swallows the chip bits and grins up at his handler. “Thanks!” This time, his reflexes aren’t fast enough to avoid the solid _thump_ of the rolled up paper. “Owww! You’re always so mean to me~!”

That earns him another whack to the head. “Don’t make this weird,” Vanderwood says. “What are you _doing?”_

“Watching!” Seven repeats. He gestures to the security camera footage on his main monitor. The grainy image shows MC and Yoosung waiting for the bus and talking. “V wanted me to keep an eye on them.”

Vanderwood raises an eyebrow. “Isn’t that the girl you were watching sleep last night?”

“You remembered!”

“Jeez,” he leans back and crosses his arms over his chest, “you’re bizarre.”

“Orders are orders,” Seven shoots back. “Besides, we still have a week left for the other job. I have time.”

“You have time, sure. And you’ll say that tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day. All up until you find yourself kneeling in front of a ditch with a gun at the back of your head.” Vanderwood’s eyes blaze as he speaks, “Sure, you have time.”

He feels his heart rise up to his throat. Painfully, he swallows it back down. “Aw, it almost sounds like you care about me!”

The other man says nothing, only turns and leaves the room. Seven watches him go. For a moment his eyes widen with sudden understanding, but the light fades and he turns back to the monitors. He has work to do. So much work to do.

-

–

—

You and Yoosung spend the day exploring Seoul. He shows you all of his favorite places, and in turn tries to help you find something you’d like. It’s not hard to become fond of his company. By the time you two part ways, you’re already thinking of meeting up again. He’s a good kid, you decide.

The apartment is dim, and the fading sunlight casts everything in gold. Your head throbs. You fumble for the lights, wincing at their brightness.

“Shit, where the hell…” You plop your purse onto the counter and rummage around. Where is your Tiaranol? Finally you find the bottle and pop a pill—the sensation of it lingers in the back of your throat. You glance up, sensing something somewhere in the room. But there’s nothing. Of course there’s nothing. The apartment is empty. Yet still you feel like there are eyes on you, some invisible intruder watching, waiting.

Whatever. It’s probably nothing.

 

_MC has entered the chatroom._

_Yoosung★ has entered the chatroom._

MC: Fancy seeing you here~

Yoosung★: MC!

Yoosung★: I had a lot of fun today :D

MC: Me too!!

MC: Have you had dinner yet?

Yoosung★: Uhhhh

MC: Yoosung…

Yoosung★: I will soon!

Yoosung★: I was just gaming with my guild!

Yoosung★: We’re getting ready to go up against one of the new bosses!

MC: Ohh, sounds fun!

MC: Buuut you should still get something to eat :P

Yoosung★: I knooow T_T

MC: Good ^^

MC: Playing on a full stomach can help your concentration, y’know~

MC: If you’re hungry you’ll be focused on the game _and_ how much you want to eat!

MC: (Trust me I’m a doctor)

Yoosung★: Whoaa

Yoosung★: I’d better go eat!!!

Yoosung★: BRB

_Yoosung★ has left the chatroom._

_707 has entered the chatroom._

707: MC!

MC: SEVEN!

MC: What’s up?

707: I’ve been working all day T_T

707: MC comfort meeeeee

MC: There there T_T

707: I finally have a break right now

707: So I’m having something to eat!

MC: Ooooo what is it?

707: Drumroll please!

MC: Dundundundundun…

707: Hahaha! You actually did it!

707: I!

707: Am having!

707: HONEY BUDDHA CHIPS! AND! DOCTOR PEPPER!

MC: WOWWOW

MC: But is that enough? It doesn’t sound like a good dinner…

707: It’s plenty for me~

MC: Don’t make me do my “importance of eating well” speech again +_+

707: Ooohhh scary~

MC: >:P

707: :D

MC: lol

707: So, Miss “You should eat real food”~

707: Have you had dinner yet?

MC: Eating it right now!!

707: Are you eating “real food”?

MC: >:P

MC: Yes, it’s “real food”

MC: I made myself something simple

707: Oooo~

707: What is it?

MC: Pasta lol

MC: Managed to find some spaghetti noodles at the market

MC: It’s almost like being home

MC: Except I’m in an apartment that’s not mine

MC: And not in America

MC: And also have no other… friends…

MC: … oh wow

707: Aww

707: There there T_T

707: You have friends!!

707: You have us!!

MC: … Yeah

MC: Yeah!

MC: You’re right ^^

707: ^^

_Yoosung★ has entered the chatroom._

Yoosung★: I’m back!

Yoosung★: I have food!

MC: Good!

Yoosung★: I told the rest of my guild members what you said

Yoosung★: Now everyone’s getting something to eat lolol

MC: Proud =w=

707: The power of the coordinator!!

MC: I AM STRONG

707: THE STRONGEST

MC: (i flex)

MC: (it looks really cool)

Yoosung★: WOW!

707: SO COOL!

MC: =u=

 

Your dinner is spent chatting with the boys. It feels almost like they’re there with you, sitting across the table with little mountains of spaghetti. You catch yourself in a fantasy and release your fork with a clatter as you do. It’s only been a few days, how pathetic are you that you’re already this attached? Your shoulders sag. Your good mood dissolves into the air.

 

MC: I’m gonna get ready to go to bed

MC: You boys better get some rest >:O

Yoosung★: I would buuut

Yoosung★: I have a LOLOL boss calling my name!

707: I’ll try~

MC: Good ^^

MC: Good night!

_MC has left the chatroom._

 

You clean up what’s left of your dinner. Again, you feel eyes on you. You look around the room, half expecting to actually see something.

But there’s nothing there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An epithet of the Greek god Dionysus, **Lyaeus** is the god who freed people from care and anxiety.
> 
> (A quick sidenote here: god it's hard to find suitable mythological figures for each chapter title  
> im dying squirtle)


	7. 6: Ren

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bus arrives, and you get on. Most of the seats are full, but you manage to find an empty spot next to the aisle. At first, you pay no mind to the person next to you, focused more on holding your work bag and purse in your lap. Then you notice the familiar hiking boots and sweatpants.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! I'm working on a few projects atm, so bear with me as updates continue to be slow. Chapter 7 is around halfway to 1k words right now, so I'll hopefully get that out soon. My extended Zen route fic is currently a WIP, with chapter 1 in the works. I'd like to get that ready soon, since zen is a good boy and i love him lots and lots  
> I also have some news! If you haven't seen yet, the 2019 Mystic Messenger charity calendar [recently announced its contributors.](https://2019mysmecalendar.tumblr.com/post/176038962053/thank-you-all-for-your-applications-support-and) I'll be working on art for merch (I'm Seraph!! That's me!!!)! I'm super excited to be able to work with so many fantastic people, and for such a great cause <3

“You keep looking at that damn feed.”

“I do?”

He stabs his fork into the salad. Vanderwood scowls at him. “Quit playing with your food, I spent some valuable time making that. And get back to work, you keep saying you’re almost done but you haven’t done a thing since Friday!”

“So mean, Madame. I’ve been doing plenty of work!”

“Yeah, you’ve been working. Working on shit that doesn’t fucking keep us alive! You can do whatever you’ve been messing with  _ after _ you get the agency work done.”

“Why not both?” His cheeky grin apparently isn’t appreciated, and earns him a solid  _ whack _ on the back of the head. “Hey!”

“Get back to work.” He turns and stalks away.

As soon as Vanderwood is gone, Seven groans and rubs his eyes. When was the last time he slept? He gropes around the desk for an unopened can of PhD Pepper. He needs that caffeine. Stat. His fingers finally close around a can and he pops it open, taking a long drink of the lukewarm soda.

His phone starts ringing, a poppy little tune that he recognizes instantly: MC’s ringtone. For a moment, he debates whether or not he should answer.

Shit, he could use a pick-me-up.

“He-llo there! This is Defender of Justice Seven! Zero! Seven! speaking!” he sings.

A giggle from the other end. A little surge of pride washes over him.  _ “Good afternoon, Seven! Have you eaten yet?” _

“Yup!” He stares at the salad that’s barely been touched. “I had a biiiiig lunch! How about you?”

_ “I just finished eating. One of the other doctors brought cookies for the office.” _

His stomach growls. He prays that she can’t hear. “Cookies, huh? Sounds good!”

_ “Mhm. Hey, maybe we could meet up at a bakery sometime and get some snacks together!” _

“A bakery…” His mouth starts to water. He screws his eyes shut and shakes his head. “Yeah, maybe. I dunno, though, I’m basically a slave to my work!” He lets out a laugh to ease her worries. Wouldn’t be good to have her concerned about that.

He can practically hear her frown.  _ “It’s that bad, huh? Maybe you can find some time to yourself. I’d really like to meet you in person!” _

“Yeah.” He smiles, pressing the phone closer to his ear. “I’d like that too.”

He hears a soft rustle. Voices mutter in the background, and then she’s back.  _ “Hey, my lunch break is almost over, I gotta go. You take care, okay?” _

“Okay. Bye bye!”

_ “Bye bye.” _

He turns his attention to the apartment camera feed again, but, of course, nobody’s there.

—

–

-

“Doctor!” one of the interns runs up to you, holding your accordion folder with both hands. “You left this in your office!”

“Oh, thank you Hyejin.” You take it from her. Quickly, you scan the contents to make sure you have all your files. Everything’s in order. You smile at her, and she beams. “I’ll see you tomorrow, have a nice day.”

Aside from a few patients in the waiting room and a sleepy receptionist, the office is pretty much dead at this hour. You say a quick goodbye, startling the young man at the desk, then head out to go sit at the bus stop. It’s only day 2 of work, but you feel pretty settled in to the practice. The other doctors are welcoming enough of you, and that’s more than you could ever ask for.

Even better than that, though, is the RFA chatroom. The other members are already beginning to warm up to you, especially since Seven declared you as safe and you met with Yoosung. There’s already talk about meeting with each other some time in the near future. Although, Seven seems reluctant to come, if he even can. Something about his work. Poor guy… You wonder, briefly, what his job must be to keep him working so much. He doesn’t really say anything about it, besides how it’s working him half to death. From what the other members have said, it seems that they don’t know much about it either.

Strange.

The bus arrives, and you get on. Most of the seats are full, but you manage to find an empty spot next to the aisle. At first, you pay no mind to the person next to you, focused more on holding your work bag and purse in your lap. Then you notice the familiar hiking boots and sweatpants. You look up at the man beside you and see his face. Pale, with sharp features and a small, relaxed frown on his lips.

_ It’s him. _

You don’t say anything, seeing that he’s fast asleep in his seat. He looks peaceful. The dark circles under his eyes tell you that this is some much-needed rest.  _ What are the chances that you’d run into him again? _ He stirs a bit in his seat, his brow creases and his frown deepens. A string of slurred mutters slips from him, but you can’t make it out. He shifts again. His face scrunches up further. You can see his teeth bared and clenched, and without thinking, you sit up straight and set a hand on his shoulder. Gently, so as not to scare him, you give him a shake.

“Hey, wake up.”

He jerks and his hand flies to grab your wrist. He stares at you, mint eyes narrowed as he takes in your face. You stare back. After a moment, he relaxes and releases you. He turns away and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Don’t just go waking strangers up,” he mutters. “Not all of them will be forgiving.”

“You looked like you were having a bad dream,” you say. You shrug. “I couldn’t just leave you like that.” You catch him eyeing you, sizing you up.

“If you say so.” He looks away again.

You chew your lip and clear your throat. “It’s funny seeing you again.”

He doesn’t look at you when he speaks. “Yeah.”

“You told me that you’d tell me your name if we met again,” you continue.

“I did, didn’t I?” He still hasn’t looked back at you. The bus stops, and he gets up. “Oh, this is my stop. I have to go.” The grin on his face doesn’t go unnoticed by you.

“Hey! What about telling me your name?”

“I guess it’ll have to wait.” He laughs out loud at the offended look on your face. “I’ll see you, maybe.”

And then he’s gone.

-

–

—

He slips into an alleyway and leans against a wall. God, that was stupid. He knew he was playing with fire, but that was cutting it close. The Savior won’t be happy when he comes back, that he knows for sure. But he couldn’t stop himself from going to check on MC… the Savior can’t blame him for that. After all, the girl had been specially chosen by both him and her.

Perhaps, when the time comes to fetch her, his familiar face will be reassuring. He wouldn’t want to fight her and risk harming such a pretty girl.

Maybe he’ll have to run into her again.

He pulls his cellphone out of his pocket and tosses it idly. His eyes shut and he nods, a smile spreading across his face.

Yes, that sounds like fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Egyptian mythology, the soul is composed of several parts. The **Ren** is one such component, the true and secret name you would be called in the afterlife. Knowing another person's Ren gives one ultimate power over them, even the power to destroy them.


	8. 7: Balams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I can’t help it! I have a lot of work!” You pout and whine a little, but can’t hold back a giggle. You look back at the papers. “Shit, I have to get this done so I can eat.”  
>  _“You haven’t eaten yet?”_  
>  “Have you?”  
>  _“Touché."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Debating when I should change the rating, hmmm...  
> Anyways, I'm sorry for the wait! I try to update with a new chapter as long as the next one is ready to be reviewed and posted, as well. And guess what? I've got both chapters 8 and 9 locked and loaded! Things are gonna start getting steadily more intense from here on out. We're about to reach the first tipping point on this coaster :D  
> I'd like to thank the people on both MM servers I'm in for tolerating all my snippet sharing and for helping me when I get stuck, you guys are the best <3

You sit on the leather sofa, papers sprawled out across the coffee table. You need to review all of these by the morning… and also somehow make dinner. Maybe some instant ramen will have to do for tonight. Your phone, sitting precariously on the edge of the table, buzzes. Before it can fall onto the floor, you lunge forward and grab it. You don’t bother to check caller ID and answer the call.

“Hello, who is this?”

_ “Hey babe!” _

“Zen!” You put your pen down and hold your phone closer to your ear. “You were talking about auditions this morning, how did it go?”

_ “I just finished! Don’t tell the others, but I think I got the role!” _

“Congrats!” You half-focus on his words and your work. You can do this. It worked in grad school.

Sort of.

“What were you auditioning for again? The character, I mean.” The numbers and letters on your page blur together. You frown at them, goading them to merge into some form of comprehensible language. They don’t obey. You make a mental note to yourself to start writing less strange notes. You squint at a particularly bizarre acronym. What the  _ hell _ does this stand for again?

_ “Oh, I really like this one! The musical’s adapted from a romance novel. I think it’s based off some Greek legend? I dunno, but the male lead’s a god who falls in love with a human. I read some of the script already, it’s got really great drama!” _

“Oh? Sounds cool.”

_ “Are you listening?” _

“Huh? Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?”

_ “You sound distracted. What’re you doing?” _

“Ah.. sorry, I’m working on some paperwork.” You laugh, ending in a sigh. “Wish I could decipher what the hell I was writing in my notes during sessions.”

_ “Ohh, you just started working, right?” _

“Yeah, I started Monday. They only gave me a couple patients to start out with, said they want me to start small so I can balance them with my other organization work… and stuff.” You shrug. The pen scratches idly against your paper. “Some of the other doctors and I are going to be doing a workshop for older psychs here in a week or two.”

_ “Sounds cool.” _ The humor in his voice as he echoes what you said doesn’t escape you. God, he even manages to sound just as far away as you did.

“Very funny.”

He laughs.  _ “Payback for not listening.” _

“I can’t help it! I have a lot of work!” You pout and whine a little, but can’t hold back a giggle. You look back at the papers. “Shit, I have to get this done so I can eat.”

_ “You haven’t eaten yet?” _

“Have you?”

_ “Touché.” _

“I think I’m gonna have to go, actually. You make sure to eat, alright?”

_ “Of course, babe. Talk to you later!” _

The call ends. You pick up your pen once more and get back to work.

—

–

-

She’s been at it for hours now. He casts the camera feed a look every so often, just checking. Her shoulders are hunched forwards. She reaches up every so often to rub her eyes. Once, she looked up, seemingly making eye contact with the camera, and he could see dark circles under her eyes. She hasn’t eaten yet, but neither has he, and it would probably be hypocritical of him to worry so much over it.

But he just can’t help it. After all, even though he’s already long since become a lost cause, she’s not beyond saving. Without thinking, he’s already picked up his phone.

 

707: MC!

707: MCCCCCCCCCC!

 

She glances over to her phone and pushes it closer to the center of the table as it buzzes. He doesn’t relent.

 

707: M

707: C

707: !!!

707: The defender of justice! Requests your presence!

 

Her lips twist into a tired frown. She picks up the phone, and he cheers in silence.

 

MC: Sup?

707: I have a question, milady!

MC: Milady? I thought you were a superhero, not a knight lol

707: Why not both?

MC: lol

MC: Valid

MC: go on?

707: I just wanted to know how you’re doing!

MC: Oh?

MC: I’m fine. Doing paperwork.

707: Have you had dinner yet?

 

The look on her face is out of view of the camera. He leans in closer, trying to gauge her reaction. For a moment, she turns to look at the kitchen.

 

MC: Yeah!

 

“If you say so,” he mutters. He can’t push it or doubt her. Revealing the cameras now would be… a mistake. He cringes at the thought of her reaction.

 

707: Well then!

707: That’s it for the Defender of Justice’s nightly check in!

707: Stay healthy!

MC: You too, Seven :)

707: :)

 

He stares at her message for a moment before rising from his chair. Maybe he should check the fridge for something to eat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Balams** are jaguar spirits in Mayan mythology. They were said to roam in groups of five at night and search for villages with four acantuns, or ritual stone pillars, at each corner and an acantun in the center. They would guard the village from malicious spirits for the whole night as the people slept.


	9. 8: Hypnos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MC: Bed. Now.
> 
> Yoosung★: You sound like my mom ;-;
> 
> MC: Well now I am. Go to bed.
> 
> Yoosung★: ;-;

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been less than a week since the last chapter but i just... i couldn't wait ok  
> I keep forgetting to say this in the other chapters' notes, but I'd like to just say that I thank every one of you guys for taking the time to read this work. To those comments I haven't replied to, it's mostly because I can't think of a unique response and I don't feel genuine saying the same "Thank you!" over and over again. So here's a "Thank you!" to everyone who's left their lovely comments on Molten Gold. It always makes my day to see that someone's taken the time to say that they enjoyed this story :)  
> With that, I'm just gonna say that the next 3 chapters are all typed up and have been beta read. I'm going to try to keep a schedule of publishing and writing one chapter a week. Let's see how long that lasts :')

It’s late. You’ve been lying in bed for an hour now, but you can’t sleep. Even though you’ve spent the entire weekend lazing around the apartment, you still feel so fatigued. _But you can’t fucking sleep!_ Your phone buzzes on the nightstand. You glare at it. _Temptress._ It buzzes again. No. You’re stronger than this. You turn over and face the window. Your phone buzzes. You groan and flop back over to face it. Curse your weakness.

 

_MC has entered the chatroom._

MC: _Yoosung Kim._

Yoosung★: ?!

MC: _I am trying_

MC: _to sleep_

Yoosung★: I’m sorry ToT

Yoosung★: Please don’t kill me!

MC: _I don’t know_

MC: _I’m in a rather murdery mood right now_

MC: What’re you doing up so late, anyways?

Yoosung★: I was playing LOLOL…

MC: At midnight?

Yoosung★: Nighttime is the best time to play!

MC: Go to bed;;

Yoosung★: But I’m having so much fun!

Yoosung★: I just got a legendary weapon, too!

MC: Bed. Now.

Yoosung★: You sound like my mom ;-;

MC: Well now I am. Go to bed.

Yoosung★: ;-;

Yoosung★: Fiiiiine

Yoosung★: Good night!

Yoosung★: Sleep tight!

MC: _Go to bed._

Yoosung★: AAA OK

_Yoosung★ has left the chatroom._

MC: Ugh… maybe I should take something…

MC: How can you be so exhausted and still not be able to sleep?!

_Unknown has entered the chatroom._

MC: Wait whart the hell

MC: Wha

MC: YOU

Unknown: #$e!@

Unknown: @)(&^

MC: What the hell?!

Unknown: .

Unknown: …

Unknown: H#&&( M!

MC: I can’t understand what you’re saying…

MC: ALSO

MC: WHAT THE HELL

Unknown: D#% you ^&ke t$#e mes@#$ger?

Unknown: Are they treating you well? ^^

MC: Oh cool i could read that last message

MC: Why are you talking like a customer survey

MC: and again,

MC: hOW DID YOU GET HERE

Unknown: That boy can’t keep me out for long.

Unknown: Do stay healthy, MC.

Unknown: I’m going to come get you soon.

MC: What?!

 

You scroll up to where Unknown had entered the chatroom and start taking screenshots. When you finish, he still hasn’t replied.

 

MC: Hey.

MC: HEY

MC: Don’t ignore me!

Unknown: Get some rest.

Unknown: Goodbye for now.

_Unknown has left the chatroom._

 

Your phone lets out a screech. You yelp and drop it onto your chest. You pick it back up, and everything after Unknown’s entrance is just… _gone._

“Oh god.” The peaceful night sky background doesn’t help calm your racing heart. “Oh god oh god oh _god.”_ You exit the chatroom and switch to your contacts. Seven’s phone number is in your “recent calls” section, as it has been for the past 2 weeks. You tap on the call button and pray that he picks up. After ringing 3 times, you hear a click and a familiar voice on the other end.

_“MC?”_ He sounds exhausted. It sounds so unfamiliar to you that you almost don’t recognize his voice for a moment.

“Seven,” you say, “something happened.”

There’s a rustle on the other end. When he speaks now, he sounds more alert. _“What? Are you okay?”_

“I’m fine, it’s just… the hacker. Unknown.”

_“The hacker?”_

“He came into the chatroom.”

_“What?!”_ You hear loud typing. _“Oh my god. I didn’t even notice… are you okay? What did he say?!”_

“I’m fine, Seven, really! He asked me something about the messenger, told me to stay healthy, and said he was going to come get me soon.”

_“Come get you?”_ His voice is soft, yet severe. _“MC…”_

“Luciel, don’t worry.” You hear a sharp intake of breath. “He was probably trying to scare me.”

_“I… alright. MC, stay alert.”_

You nod. “Yes, of course. Should… should I tell the others?”

_“No. Not yet. Let’s not scare them. Please, tell me if he tries to contact you again.”_

“Always. You’re the best person for this, after all!”

He laughs humorlessly. _“Thank you for believing in me. Good night, MC. I know this was probably startling, but please try to get some rest, okay?”_

“Yes. You too, Luciel. Take care of yourself. If not for you, for me and the rest of the RFA.”

_“I’ll try.”_

You crawl out of bed and walk to the kitchen. You don’t bother to turn on the light. In the dim moonlight, you manage to read each label. Your bottle of melatonin is around half empty. You’ll need to go on a supply run soon. A glass of water later, you amble back to bed and lie down.

-

–

—

The sunlight pounds against your back. You feel your skin go aflame. Squinting, you look up at the blood-red sky. You open your mouth to yell, but nothing comes out. Your throat is dry. Your skin is dry. You’re burning. You run, but the earth shifts beneath you like a treadmill and you don’t move. There is nobody. Nobody to see you. Nobody to help you. Then you notice a figure in the distance. Their black jacket stands out against the sky, but their hair blends in almost perfectly. You cry out a name, but you’re not sure whose. The ground gives out beneath your feet in an instant, and suddenly you’re drowning. You call the name again, exhaling a bubble so big it could swallow you whole. You reach out to the surface. There is none. Frantic, you flail in an attempt to swim, to escape, to breathe. As you wheel your arms, your fingers catch something hard and plastic. You pull the object to your face.

Glasses.

His glasses.

You clutch them to your chest and breathe out his name once more as you sink into the depths.

—

–

-

You wake up in a cold sweat, with his name on your lips: _“Luciel.”_ The apartment is empty. Of course it is. The soft light of dawn leaks through the cracks in the blinds. You roll over in bed and groan. You don’t want to go to work. You still feel exhausted. The phone buzzes, and you reach over to grab it without looking up from your pillow. When you check your notifications, you can’t help but smile.

 

707: GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Greek god **Hypnos** was the god of sleep. He had 3 sons, the most prominent of which being Morpheus, the god of dreams.


	10. 9: Cao Guojiu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Zen!” you shout, waving. A couple of people turn to give you dirty looks. He focuses on you and beams.
> 
> “Hey, babe!” He hugs you for a moment before releasing you and setting his hands on your shoulders. “Wo-o-ow, it’s nice to finally meet you!”
> 
> “You, too. I’ve been looking forward to this all day!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I'd be updating on Thursdays (It's currently Wednesday for me), but I've decided to update on Wednesdays instead. Even though it's still a week between chapters, it just, well, there's something psychological about it. It feels like less time, somehow, since it's the beginning of the week. Does that make sense? I'm not sure if it makes sense.
> 
> Anywho, if you haven't noticed yet, I've upped the rating in anticipation for the upcoming chapters. New tags are going to be added, as well, but only concurrently with the chapters they're associated with. If necessary, I may bump the rating up to Mature. However, there will be no explicit sexual content in this fic (Or the sister fics I'm planning for the other routes). I don't feel comfortable, personally, writing that stuff. Mature rating only for some... some weird stuff. I feel like my writing is getting more and more, ehm, _abstract_ as I keep going. Weird. Tell me in the comments of the upcoming chapters if you get that feeling, too. I wanna know if I'm reading too far into this or not HA

ZEN: Hey~

MC: Hey Zenny ^^

ZEN: So cute!

MC: What’s up?

ZEN: I’m going to see a movie tonight.

MC: A movie? :0

ZEN: Yeah, apparently it’s based off the same myth as my script.

ZEN: I want to see how they interpreted it.

MC: Ohhh, for research?

ZEN: Exactly!

ZEN: I was wondering if you wanted to join me?

MC: Ooooooo!!

MC: What time?

ZEN: There are showings all day today.

ZEN: When do you get off work?

MC: Hmmm… hold on.

MC: My last appointment ends at 8

MC: So… sometime around 8:30 should work?

ZEN: Perfect!

ZEN: There’s a showing at 9.

ZEN: I’ll send you the address, okay?

MC: Sounds like a plan ^^

ZEN: Gaaah~

ZEN: So excited to finally meet you!

 

—

–

-

Today, you feel invigorated. It’s unfamiliar, and a bit frightening, but nonetheless welcome. One of your clients even comments on how your energy today is ‘contagious.’ You take that as a good sign. As you gather your belongings, Hyejin peeks into your office.

“Good evening, Doctor!” she says.

“Evening, Hyejin. Need anything?”

“No, I was just wondering what has you so bouncy today?”

You laugh. “That’s the third time someone’s asked me.”

“Oh, sorry…”

“No, no, don’t worry about it. Are you done with your shift?”

“Yeah. I was just about to walk to the bus stop.”

“Same here. Walk with me?”

“Sure.”

You walk and talk. The sun has long since set below the horizon, and you follow the streetlights to your usual stop.

“Oh, Doctor, you never said why you were so happy!”

“Oh yeah.” You lean against the back of the bench and look up at the stars. For a moment, you think. “Honestly, I’m not sure… Well… I’m meeting with a friend to see a movie, maybe that’s it.”

“A friend?” Her smile turns impish. You’re suddenly reminded of the fact that she’s still a student. “What’s their name?”

“Ummm…” You look away and clear your throat. “Promise not to tell anyone.”

“I promise!”

“Okay. I’m meeting with ZEN.”

“ZEN?!” she squeals. “Like, the actor? Oh my gosh! I love his work! You know him?”

“Yeah, I met him a couple weeks ago.”

“What’s he like? Is he nice? Oh! Can you tell him I said hi?” Her eyes are bright, and you can’t help but laugh.

“He’s a good friend, very kind. Yeah, I’ll tell him. I’m sure he’ll appreciate knowing he has such passionate fans.”

“Yessss! Thank you thank you thank you!” She nearly bounces off of the bench. “I’ve been a fan of his since forever!”

You start to laugh again. She stops bouncing to pout at you, and you wave your hand at her. “No, no, it’s nothing bad! It’s just nice to see you so bright.”

“You say that like I’m all depressed all the time, Doctor.”

“Depressed?” you repeat, cocking your head to the side. The word rattles around in your head for a moment. You can almost feel it bump from your temporal lobe to your frontal lobes and then slide down your spine like some screwed up pachinko chip. “Nothing like that.”

“I know!” she says, giggling and settling back onto the bench. “I was just teasing… Hey, Doctor, you don’t look too hot, are you okay?”

“Me? Yeah. I’m fine.”

It’s a little bit of a lie, and a little bit of a truth, but Hyejin respects you enough to not say anything about it.

-

–

—

A cold gust of night air catches you, seeping through your coat and straight into your bones. You shiver and look around. You’ve seen Zen’s photo plenty of times before, you should easily recognize him. It’s not like he looks like the average Korean man, anyways. You wrap your scarf closer to your face. Curse this autumn cold… You would have expected it to be warmer, since it’s only early October, but then again you never check the forecast.  _ Apparently _ autumn here is disgustingly cold in comparison to California. Go figure. Finally, you spot a familiar flash of white hair peek out over the crowd. You run over to him.

“Zen!” you shout, waving. A couple of people turn to give you dirty looks. He focuses on you and beams.

“Hey, babe!” He hugs you for a moment before releasing you and setting his hands on your shoulders. “Wo-o-ow, it’s nice to finally meet you!”

“You, too. I’ve been looking forward to this all day!” You follow him to the ticket line.

“How’s your day been, by the way? You haven’t been in the chatroom since we talked this morning.”

“Oh, I was just working. Speaking of that, I was talking to one of the interns today and mentioned that I was hanging out with you today.”

“You did?” He perks up in a way that reminds you of a dog that just heard the word “walk.” “Did they say anything?”

“Well, once she heard your name she nearly fell off the bench. She says she’s a huge fan of yours.”

“Does she?” His smile broadens. “Tell her I say ‘thank you.’”

“I will. Hopefully she doesn’t faint.”

He clasps his hand over his heart in a swoon. “It wouldn’t be the first time my beauty has made a young lady collapse!”

You jab him in the side with your elbow. “Drama queen.”

“Hey, you chose to come here with me!” He doesn’t continue, instead stepping up to the ticket booth. Ignoring your insistence on paying for your own ticket (“Don’t worry, I was the one who offered to treat you.”

“Well at least let me pay for popcorn!”), he buys both. At your glare, he laughs and ruffles your hair. “C’mon, let’s go inside. The cold makes my skin get all dry.”

“I’m starting to have second thoughts.”

Zen only laughs and tugs your arm. As you walk into the lobby, your eyes meet another’s for just a moment. Soft molten gold stares back at you. They feel somewhat familiar, but you can’t quite place it.

“Hey, MC,” Zen says, snapping his fingers in front of your face. “The line’s moving.”

“Oh, shit, sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. Hey, are you okay? You were staring at the wall for a while.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just thought I saw someone I know. Wanna get a large?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Cao Guojiu** is the Chinese god of theater. Formerly the brother of an empress, Cao Guojiu was unhappy with the amount of corruption, and so he went to live in the mountains. There he met Lu-Dongbin, the god of education, who taught him the ways of Daoism and gifted him with immortality.
> 
> Fun fact: Originally I titled this chapter Dionysus (The Greek god of wine, theater, sex, madness, and generally kickin it (god i'm lame)), but I... I really don't want to load all these chapter titles with Greco-Roman figures, especially since the next 3 chapters are Greco-Roman figures. So I searched up "theater" on Godchecker (my life, my love) and PRESTO i got Cao Guojiu. Just a little peek into my process OvO


	11. 10: Eros

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They’re in the same theater, only rows apart. He swears back and forth that it’s just a coincidence, if only to spare his conscience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone's doing well today <3  
> To all my readers who may have been affected by Hurricane Florence (Or any other natural disasters going on, sorry, I have USA blinders >_<), I hope you're safe!  
> Today is Yom Kippur (Translated: Day of Atonement), which, for those of you who don't know (And no shame if you don't!), is one of the Jewish High Holy Days. It takes place 10 days after Rosh Hashanah (Translated: Head of the Year), the Jewish New Year. On this day those who are of 13 years of age or older, or who don't have medical conditions requiring regular meals, fast. That means no food OR drink for 24/26 hours! This time is meant to be spent in prayer, as we want to atone for all the wrongs we've committed in the past year. Usually, you go to synagogue for the whole or half of the day and pray, while wearing white. Personally, I tend to end my fast early, and I didn't want to miss school >_>  
> AP classes are hard, man.  
> But anyways, I just felt like sharing that fact! Part of me wanted to either post the chapter yesterday or tomorrow in respect of the holiday, but,,, I really want to keep a consistent schedule, dammit.  
> This chapter title, as well as the upcoming chapter title, are actually ones I've had planned for a while! They go together ^^

“There are not enough  _ words _ to describe how bad an idea this is, Zero Seven.”

“Well then how about you use the ones that do exist?” Seven replies as he brushes out his wig. He winks at the mirror and casts a glance back at Vanderwood. The older man glowers at him. This, he takes as a sign to continue. “Why don’t you do it in alphabetical order? Maybe you can throw in some of your Arabic vocab, too!”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Can you throw me my purse? The nice blue one, I wanna go all out. We’re celebrating a job well done, after all!” The handbag nearly knocks him out cold. He pouts, clutching his head. “Mean! You almost messed up my makeup. We have a show to catch!”

Vanderwood frowns, his brow wrinkles, and he almost says something. But he stops himself, instead taking in a long, long breath. “Okay. Fine. But we’re getting our own popcorns and drinks. No sharing. Is that clear?”

“Crystal!”

“Good. C’mon, kid, let’s get going.” A fond smile appears on his face for a moment before turning stone.

—

–

-

She’s beautiful. He holds his purse tighter as he stands in line. For just a moment he’d caught her eye. It felt like she could see into his very soul.

It scares him.

Vanderwood was right. This is a stupid idea. But when he’d seen that MC was going to be here tonight, well, he just couldn’t help himself. He wanted to see her. Just for a moment.

God, he feels like a creep.

They’re in the same theater, only rows apart. He swears back and forth that it’s just a coincidence, if only to spare his conscience. He can hear her whispering with Zen during the previews. Her smile, her laughter, all something he has to experience through a screen… so close, but entirely unreachable for a  _ cockroach _ like him. He sinks into the plush seat and stuffs a handful of popcorn into his mouth. He and Vanderwood came here to celebrate one day off, but all he can focus on is the unique torture of seeing the girl he’s falling for sitting with another man. One of his only friends, at that.

He hates himself a little more with that thought. What a bastard. He’s jealous over a woman he’s not dating and will never date. How pathetic.

He steps out in the middle of the movie. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees her move, as well. His heart races. No. No way can he let her see him. No, no, no, no—

“Hey,” she says, glancing at him for a prolonged moment. Despite his best attempts to leave the bathroom as fast as possible, she still catches him at the sinks. She seems to be studying him, and he shifts in discomfort at her stare.

“Uh, hey,” he responds, catching himself before he drops his feminine voice by accident. The word echoes in the empty bathroom. “Is there something on my face?”

“No, no…” She sounds distracted, far away. “It’s nothing. You just, it’s your eyes, they remind me of someone I know.”

“Oh.” He plunges his hands under the freezing water. It sends an electric jolt up his spine. “Makes sense. Gold isn’t a really common color.”

“Mhm… they’re very pretty. Ah, I’m not being weird, right?” Her laugh is ringing bells, the soft titter of songbirds. His chest constricts.

“Not at all. Thank you.” He clears his throat. “If you don’t mind me asking, who is this friend? I mean, you don’t have to say anything, but, y’know. I’ll keep it secret.” He winks and a little grin graces his lips, but it vanishes in a second.

“Ah…” Her cheeks go red. “I met him online. We’ve never seen each other in real life before… but I don’t know, I feel a really strong connection, y’know? I just really like talking to him… we call each other pretty much every night. He’s so sweet and funny and… god… I want to know more about him, but whenever I try to get to know him better, it feels like he pulls away.”

He can’t breathe. Oh god. This is worse than he thought. No, no, no, he can’t deal with this, not now. He can’t let her be  _ tainted by his  _ **_filth._ ** “He sounds nice,” he comments, hoping his voice doesn’t sound strained, “do you like him?”

She stares at him for a moment. Her eyes brighten, as though she’s had a moment of clarity. “Yeah. Yeah, I think so.”

“Oh.” He makes a show of checking his makeup in the mirror. “Well, I’m going to go back to the theater… it was nice meeting you.”

She smiles. “It was nice meeting you, too, Luciel.”

His eyes widen. “I… yes.” He allows himself to smile. “I’ll see you, MC.” He steps outside and feels his heart pound in his ears. What has he done?  _ What has he done? _

Vanderwood doesn’t comment on his leaving when he sits back down. He stuffs his mouth full of popcorn as a silent message: Don’t talk to me.

When she enters the theater again and sits down, she turns in her seat, squinting through the darkness, and smiles at him. He can’t find it in him to smile back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also known as Cupid, **Eros** is the god of love and typically known as Aphrodite's son. When his mother grew jealous of a mortal's—Psyche's—beauty and aimed to have her fall in love with a monster, he was sent to carry out the task. However, struck by her beauty, he stuck himself with his arrow instead and fell in love with her. He had her taken to his palace to wed him, and kept himself invisible to her. No matter what, he told her that he must always stay invisible to her. However, his bride crew curious of how he looked, and her sisters urged her to go to him at night to gaze upon his true form, claiming that he truly was a monster and aimed to kill her.
> 
> [To be continued]


	12. 11: Psyche

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luciel’s eyes stare at you in the back of your mind. They were just as they appeared in his photos, but _real, alive._
> 
> _**Tired.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The companion to Eros... named for obvious reasons ;)  
> If you're a bit confused by the timeline so far, they are at the theater on Thursday. MC has been a part of the RFA for just about 3 weeks.  
> Keep an eye on the tags next week!  
> Hope you all enjoy! <3

You feel nauseous when the woman—no,  _ Luciel _ —leaves the restroom. You shouldn’t have said his name. You shouldn’t have  _ practically confessed _ to him like that. Shit, what were you  _ thinking? _ You stare into the mirror and into your own eyes. His looked so alarmed when you revealed what you knew. He looked  _ scared. _ Was he scared for himself? Or was he scared for  _ you? _ You know that his job is dangerous. Just what does he do for work? Your thoughts race at a mile a minute. All of them are of  _ him. _

Since when did you fall for him, anyways? You’ve only known him for, what, 3 weeks? Maybe less. Maybe this is just some silly schoolgirl crush… but you’d said it so easily when he asked…

You shake your head and splash water on your face. You shouldn’t get so stuck on this. It’s just a crush. You’re a big girl, you can deal with a stupid crush.

When Zen asks you what took you so long in the bathroom, you tell him that you needed to fix your makeup.

-

–

—

“So, what’d you think?” Zen links his arm with yours as you leave the theater. You press closer to him as the night air kisses your nose. It’s  _ freezing _ out here.

“It was really good! I thought the ending was sweet. Hey, were you crying when he ran from her?”

“Me, cry? Never!” He turns up his nose and looks away. His eyes are still just a little bit red and puffy, though. “But that was pretty heart wrenching.”

“Liar,” you mutter, elbowing him in the side. “You totally cried!”

“I did not!”

“You did! Liar!” You laugh at his mock offended expression. “I can’t believe this, I’m friends with a huge liar!”

“You wound me, my lady.”

You give him a playful shove and he stumbles forward to humor you. The cold bites you as soon as your arm unlinks from his. So, you scamper up to him and cutch his arm once more.

“Coooold…”

“Come on, Ice Queen, let’s get you to the subway so you can get home.”

“Mmm, shut up Mr. Space Heater.”

He laughs and wraps his arm around your shoulders. As you walk down the steps to the subway station, you hear an old woman whisper something about  _ ‘young love’ _ and  _ ‘too much to drink.’ _

“We look like a couple,” you mutter, looking up at Zen.

“I guess we do. Do you mind?”

“A little. I mean, you’re more like a big brother, honestly… and, I mean…”

He glances down at you. His eyes shine with sudden interest. “Yeah?”

“I, uh…” Your face goes red. “I kinda, well…”

“Out with it, come on!”

“I kinda really like Seven…”

“I knew it!” he shouts. You gasp and shush him. “Sorry, sorry. Anyways, Yoosung owes me money.”

“You had a bet?!”

“Maaaaybe?”

“Oh my god.”

“Look, the bet doesn’t matter. What  _ does _ matter is you and Seven!”

“Why do I feel like you’re planning something?”

“I’m not! Well, maybe I am, but hey, I’ve helped castmates get together before, I can help you!”

“No way!”

“Too late!” He gives you a mischievous grin. You groan. “I’m your wingman now.”

He doesn’t let you argue further. At the subway station, he gives you a hug before leaving you. You sit down in the car and sigh to yourself. Luciel’s eyes stare at you in the back of your mind. They were just as they appeared in his photos, but  _ real, alive. _

**_Tired._ **

He looked so, so tired. Even though he had been wearing several layers of makeup (You could see the texture under his eyes, especially), you could see exhaustion clear on his face. You feel a pang of worry in your chest. Luciel is so kind and caring, but he obviously neglects his own health. Just how bad  _ is _ it?

You know all too well about how badly poor physical health can affect mental health. He doesn’t deserve that kind of pain.

—

–

-

Your feet are leaden. The bed seems so far away tonight. Luciel hasn’t contacted you, text or otherwise, since Thursday night, when you spoke to him in the theater. Only now do you realize how much you’ve come to rely on his infectious charm and humor to stay afloat on a daily basis.

_ ‘3 weeks,’ _ your brain taunts you,  _ ‘you’ve only known him for 3 weeks. And now you’ve scared him off. You pathetic little girl.’ _

“Shut up,” you mutter. Finally, you flop down onto your bed and bury your face in the pillow. The soft sheets are so welcoming that you wish you could sink into them and drown in the cotton.

Your phone rings. You look up from the pillow. With a quiet, irritated groan, you roll over and pick it up. Your eyes go wide as saucers when you see the caller id.

_ It’s Luciel. _

You answer without hesitation.

“Luciel!”

_ “MC.” _ He breathes your name out like a prayer.  _ “I’m glad you picked up, I… wait a sec.” _ You hear him yell something that you can’t quite make out, and in the background you hear what sounds like a second male voice.  _ “Sorry. Are, are you doing well?” _

“I’m fine… tired, but fine. Luciel, I’m sorry about… y’know…”

_ “It’s okay. It’s not your fault we met, don’t worry, you did nothing wrong.” _

_ ‘He’s lying,’ _ your mind hisses.  _ ‘He hates you.’ _

“Thank you. Are you okay?”

_ “Well, actually… that’s why I called.” _ He takes in a long, laborious breath.  _ “I’m going to be gone for a week or so. I got called on a mission Friday morning. We leave tomorrow, before dawn.” _

Your mouth goes dry. “A mission? Why are you… are you okay? Is it dangerous?”

_ “I’m okay. MC, I just wanted you to know where I am. I don’t want you to worry, okay? Can you promise me that?” _

“I think so… Luciel, what  _ is _ this ‘mission?’”

_ “Top-secret.” _ The wink is almost audible.  _ “I can’t tell you, or you’ll have a heart attack. Don’t worry, though. I’m used to this. I’ll be fine.” _

“Promise?”

_ “I promise. Are you going to bed?” _

“Mhm…”

_ “I thought so. There are cameras in the apartment, y’know. I wanted to tell you before, but I was worried about freaking you out…” _

“Cameras? So you can see me?”

_ “Only in the living room and kitchen, I swear!” _ he stammers out.  _ “I can’t see anything else!” _

“No, no, don’t worry!” You laugh, despite the heat rushing to your face. “It’s, ah, actually kind of reassuring… it’s so empty here, and it can get scary sometimes…”

_ “Think of me as your personal security system. I’ll keep you safe.” _ The promise in his voice makes your heart thud. He’s dead serious about this.  _ “So please, don’t worry about the hacker, or what happens next week. I’ll keep tabs on everything from the field.” _

“Alright. I trust you.”

He laughs. The sound is sweet and refreshing, like the first drink of fresh water after days of wandering the desert.  _ “You shouldn’t trust me, MC, you’ll get hurt… but thank you. I trust you, too.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Upon hearing her sisters' claim, **Psyche** decided to go to her husband and kill him. Wielding a dagger and an oil lamp, she crept into his room in the dark and cast light upon his sleeping form. To her shock, what lay before her was not a monster, but a god. She was paralyzed by his beauty, and accidentally pricked herself with one of his arrows, as well, falling in love with him. The oil in her lamp leapt out to be closer to him. Feeling the burn of the hot oil, Eros woke. When he realized Psyche's betrayal, he flew up to Mount Olympus in rage.  
>  Aphrodite decided to punish Psyche for hurting her son. And so, she put her through 3 seemingly-impossible tasks. At the final task, Psyche was killed (by accident), but Zeus took pity on her and elevated her to the status of a god, so that she and Eros could live together for eternity.  
> Psyche represents the human spirit.
> 
> Wooo! That was a long end note! I got most of this info from Overly Sarcastic Production's video on Eros and Psyche. You should give it a watch! Their series on mythology is great!


	13. 12: Angerona

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Some news? Does it have to do with Luciel?”_ A tiny gasp sounds on the other end. _“Oh, wait, I wasn’t supposed to say anything about that!”_
> 
> “Oh, that… Did Zen tell you?”
> 
> _“... Yes. He wants me to help him with ‘wingman duty.’ He told me not to tell you though!”_
> 
> “‘Wingman duty,’” you repeat. There’s no small amount of humor in your voice. Of course he would do something like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CONTENT WARNING: The last scene in this chapter contains violence, dubiously consensual kissing, and some body horror elements.
> 
> God, I've been so excited to share this chapter lol  
> I'm officially calling this coming portion the Mission Arc. Seems fitting, considering. Themes of violence and death will be reoccurring in future chapters, as well as themes of mental illness. I'm not sure how triggering some of this will be, but I'm playing it safe. Proceed with caution! Things are gonna get a lil weird!  
> Thank you all, as always, for reading <3

You pace the bedroom for what feels like hours upon hours. A mission. A dangerous mission. Just what is his job? Is he some sort of super police officer? No, no way. They wouldn’t need hackers, and as far as you know, his job is pretty damn illegal.

You also have to assume that police officers have actual regulations on their work hours, instead of the hellish hours you know Luciel keeps. He can’t be a spy, right? Maybe some sort of secret agent? No, no way. No way? Maybe… It’s not like 707 is a real name. It has to be some sort of designation. Didn’t he say once that Luciel isn’t even his birth name? Why would he change his name? You stop pacing and fall onto your bed, rubbing your eyes with the heels of your palms. This isn’t the time to worry. He won’t want you to be worried, right?

Your phone starts playing a soft, jazzy tune. You stare at it for a moment before picking up. “Hello?”

_ “MC, good evening.” _

“Eh? Jaehee?” You blink up at the caller ID for a moment to register that it is, indeed, her. “What’s up? It’s really late…”

_ “Ah,” _ she says, punctuated with a sigh,  _ “Mr. Han wanted me to stay late again. Why are  _ you _ up so late? Aren’t you usually asleep by now?” _

A groan escapes you. “Ugh, yeah. I just, well, I just got some news and I’ve been thinking.”

_ “Some news? Does it have to do with Luciel?” _ A tiny gasp sounds on the other end.  _ “Oh, wait, I wasn’t supposed to say anything about that!” _

“Oh, that… Did Zen tell you?”

_ “... Yes. He wants me to help him with ‘wingman duty.’ He told me not to tell you though!” _

“‘Wingman duty,’” you repeat. There’s no small amount of humor in your voice. Of course he would do something like this. “I won’t say a word. Were you part of the bet?”

_ “No, of course not! I only told Yoosung that he was going to lose his money. I was right.” _

“He shouldn’t have been betting on my romances, anyways. But I’ll just bug him about that on my own time.”

_ “Zen, too?” _

“Ehh, debatable. He treated me to a movie… but I shouldn’t let that get in the way of a lecture, huh?”

_ “Definitely not. So… about you and Luciel…” _

“Jaehee!”

_ “Hm? I was just going to say that if you want to talk about it, woman to woman, you’re always welcome to call or text me.” _ It’s easy to hear the hint of amusement in her voice. Her offer, though, sounds tempting.

“I might take you up on that sometime,” you say, running your fingers through your hair.

_ “Good! Oh, wait a moment.” _ Muffled voices come from the receiver.  _ “Okay, sorry, I have to go. Mr. Han has more work for me…” _

“Aw, Jaehee…”

_ “It’s fine, it’s fine. Good night, MC.” _

“Night.” The call ends. You stare at your phone for a long while, then kill the display and set it on the nightstand. Yawning, you sit up and make your way to the kitchen. You grab your bottle of melatonin. A single pill rattles inside.

-

–

—

The kevlar vest weighs heavy on your shoulders. You grip the pistol tighter in your hands as the building’s halls warp and twist around you. Every step forward is slow, measured, afraid. Where is he? You step into an empty room, letting the gaping maw of the threshold swallow you.  _ Where is he? _ Your chest clenches when footsteps sound behind you. A pair of strong arms wrap around your waist, embracing you from behind.

“Where were you?” you whisper. He doesn’t respond and instead presses his lips against the shell of your ear. “Luciel, where  _ were _ you?” His teeth scrape your skin, drawing blood. You shudder. “Luciel,  _ please. _ I thought you might have been killed.”

“You worry too much,” he murmurs, and you smell sharp metal on his breath. He spins you in his arms and you see his face: red, gold, black and blue across his round cheeks and below his eyes.  _ His eyes, _ they are as alive and as tired as they had been in the theater. You can’t breathe. You watch his lips part and whisper your name. Then he’s kissing you, breathing your air and pressing you against the wall. It paralyzes you, rooting you to the ground. You don’t reciprocate. You don’t reject.

You don’t even move when he presses the muzzle of his gun against your stomach and pulls the trigger. Your mouth fills with blood and he breathes it in. His eyes turn feral. You froth pink foam, flooding the room with both it and the scent of iron. Your fingers trail down to your stomach and dip into the wound, searching for the bullet. Where is it?  _ Where is it? _ You stretch the ragged edges of the hole wider and wider. The room begins to blacken around you, pitching and rising with every splutter of froth from your stained lips into his mouth. Finally, you collapse into his arms, and the look in his eyes threatens to devour you whole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An old Roman goddess, **Angerona** is shrouded in mystery. Claims regarding her realm vary from source to source. Her duties seem to include silence, or perhaps secrets, due to her typical pose of a finger to her lips, requesting silence. Or maybe she represented the secret name of Rome. Other sources claim that she is the goddess of anguish and fear, as both a producer of and a protector from. She is typically depicted with either her finger to her lips or with her mouth bound and sealed.


	14. 13: Manna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shaking your head, you pop a pill into your mouth and swallow. It takes a moment to go down, getting stuck for a moment without any water to chase it down with. It feels like you’re choking; for one terrifying moment, you hope you are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: Mentions of unhealthy thoughts and behaviors
> 
> extra content warning for my shitty interpretation of operant conditioning  
> i can feel pavlov rolling in his grave OTL
> 
> Anywho, chuck your guesses on what's going on with MC in the comments  
> I won't say if you're right or not because ~spoilers~ but it's fun seeing them :)

He pops a chip into his mouth and crunches it as he watches his laptop screen. His program works its magic with the grace that most things he modifies possess. Vanderwood, sitting in the driver’s seat, drums his fingers against the steering wheel.

“How long will it be?” he asks, casting a glance back at the younger agent.

“Couple hours, a day. Depends.”

“If I have to spend a day in this overpriced box, I’ll lose my goddamn mind.”

“Hm, cheery as usual.” Seven mutters, voice devoid of amusement. “Hey, pass me my sandwich.”

A gloved hand reaches up and over the carseat, holding a plastic baggie. Without looking, he reaches up and takes it. “What’s got you so big on eating right so suddenly, anyways, kid? Used to have to beg you to eat something other than those stupid chips. Not that I’m complaining, though.”

He takes a bite out of the sandwich (Peanut butter and honey. Can’t have anything that needs to be kept cool.) and shrugs. “I just wanna watch my health now. Feels good to eat.”

“Bullshit.” Vanderwood twists in his seat to watch Seven eat. “This is all because of that girl, isn’t it?” The panicked look that crosses Seven’s face is all the proof he needs. “I knew it. I’ll have to thank her myself.”

“Don’t tell the boss,” Seven whispers, fear lacing his words. “You know what they’ll do.”

“Not a word. I’ve been keeping that charity thing a secret, what’s one more?”

“Thank you…”

-

–

—

Jumin Han: You don’t need to be so prejudiced against cats.

ZEN: For the last time!

ZEN: I AM ALLERGIC

_ MC has entered the chatroom. _

MC: Good morning, both of you ^^

Jumin Han: Good morning.

ZEN: MC!

MC: Jumin, quit badgering Zen about cats =o=

MC: He’s allergic.

ZEN:  _ Thank you! _

Jumin Han: His allergies are only to fur, not to thoughts.

MC: Very true.

MC: However!

MC: His mind may associate the  _ mention _ of cats with the  _ presence  _ of cats _. _

MC: And so when someone mentions cats it releases antihistamines, triggering a reaction.

ZEN: That… makes sense…

ZEN: I mean, I don’t understand a word of it

ZEN: But I trust your judgement lol

MC: I didn’t go through 8 years of school for nothing =u=

MC: but like this is all just a guess so plz no quote

Jumin Han: …

Jumin Han: I will consider it.

Jumin Han: But I will not stop talking about Elizabeth the 3rd here simply because Zen is allergic to thinking about her.

MC: And I won’t stop you.

MC: But let’s respect each other!

MC: We’re all RFA members!   


ZEN: Yeah!

ZEN: You need to start respecting me!

MC: That goes for you, too, Zen.

MC: You need to respect Jumin.

Jumin Han: Thank you.

ZEN: …

MC: Hmm…

MC: You know… I still have to get back at you for that bet…

Jumin Han: Bet?

ZEN: Wait, wait, no!

MC: :)

ZEN: Fine, I’ll try to respect him.

MC: Who?

ZEN: Jumin, I’ll try to respect Jumin!

MC: Good!

MC: Maybe I can host a group therapy session for you all :)

Jumin Han: I’ll have to pass.

MC: lol

MC: Be right back, need to make breakfast.

 

You set your phone on the table and root around in the cabinets. Your medicine bottle rattles in your hand. You shake it, feeling the pills inside shift. Briefly, you wonder if the meds have any side effects regarding strange dreams. Shaking your head, you pop a pill into your mouth and swallow. It takes a moment to go down, getting stuck for a moment without any water to chase it down with. It feels like you’re choking; for one terrifying moment, you hope you are.

Last night’s call floats back into your mind. That’s right, those 3 days of silence are going to last even longer now. You grab supplies for omurice, pouring a glass of juice on the way. Your first appointment of the day isn’t until just before noon, so you have plenty of time to eat until you’re fit to burst. You beat the egg and laugh to yourself. It’s been how long since you last comfort-ate? Too long. Not long enough. You beat the egg with a little too much vigor. Egg goo splatters onto the counter. You stare at it, processing. When you move to clean up the mess, it almost feels like you’re a stranger in your own body, watching your own actions through a screen. You shudder and manage to snap out of it. Not today, brain.

You decide to just have omurice for breakfast and leave it at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the Book of Exodus, **Manna** is the food given to the Hebrews by G-d during their 40 years in the desert. Every night, the Manna would form alongside the dew, and it would have to be collected before it was melted by the sun. The Hebrews were instructed to only eat what was gathered for the day, as stored Manna quickly spoiled. The only exception was that which was gathered the day before Shabbat, so as to prevent the Hebrews from working on the Sabbath.


	15. 14: Lofn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He really wishes that he could stick to something a little less up close and personal, but it’s either the pistol or some kind of knife. And of course, any informant worth their salt knows the old adage: _‘Never bring a knife to a gunfight.’_
> 
> It’s always a gunfight. Always, always a gunfight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Gun violence, murder.
> 
> I'd like to preface this chapter with a notice: I think I've burned myself out! I'll try to work on upcoming chapters as much as possible, but I feel pretty safe at the moment, as I have the next 2 ready to go, giving me 2 whole weeks to recuperate and start writing again.  
> As always, thanks for reading!

He presses back against the wall, his breath sharp in his chest. The shape of his pistol burns through its holster and through his pants right into his skin. The mission is simple: Get in, get the info they need, screw up something beyond repair, get out. But, fuck, the idea of using his gun always sinks a pit in his stomach. No matter how many bullets he’s fired, no matter how many lives he’s ended, it always makes him feel ill.

He really wishes that he could stick to something a little less up close and personal, but it’s either the pistol or some kind of knife. And of course, any informant worth their salt knows the old adage:  _ ‘Never bring a knife to a gunfight.’ _

It’s always a gunfight. Always, always a gunfight.

Seven braces himself at the corner. He reaches down to unholster his pistol.

_ Footsteps. He hears footsteps. _

His heart pounds, so loud that he fears that whoever this is may overhear it. He balls his free hand into a fist and sets it over his chest. Soft, firm press against his body armor. He feels the pulse. The thudding fills his ears; it warps and twists into gunshots. One, two, twenty, fifty. He doesn’t want to die.  _ Not yet. Breathe in deep. Remove yourself from the moment. _ Peeking out around the corner, he sees a guard standing beside a door with a keypad attached. Bile fills his throat. He doesn’t want to die—he doesn’t want to  _ kill. _ The gun trembles in his hands, his filthy, unworthy hands.

_ ‘You’re a fool to think that you can ever love her. All you could ever give her is pain. She deserves somebody pure, somebody who hasn’t killed a man. You’re a bastard child. Unwanted. Unneeded. People only want you around because you can do something for them. One day you will be disposed of like the garbage you are. Disgusting. Disgusting. Disgusting!’ _

He steps out and takes aim and fires and kills.

—

–

-

It takes you some time to find the apartment cameras. Ever since your conversation with Luciel 2 days ago, you’ve been trying to find them. Maybe  if when he’s back, you can set up a little surprise. God, only 2 days in and you feel yourself missing him more and more. Last night, you even caught yourself calling his phone, just to listen to his voicemail message.  _ Pathetic. _

But here you are. Several hours of persistence pays off, you suppose. You peer up into the camera’s eye, rising on tiptoe to get as close as possible. A little red light beside the lens flicks on and off, signaling that it’s recording. You tap the lens and lean back with a self-satisfied little grin. Success! You hop down from your step stool and walk over to the kitchen to make something to eat. Your phone rings with an unfamiliar ringtone. You tilt your head towards it, trying to place who it is. This is one of your custom ringtones, so you know it has to be someone on your contacts…

You answer the call. “Hello, who is this?”

_ “Good evening, MC,” _ says a gentle, warm voice.  _ “This is V, from the RFA. Are you available?” _

“Yes, of course. I’ve never heard your voice before, it’s very nice.” You browse your extensive collection of frozen meals as you speak. “Gourmet” your ass, these are just about as gourmet as fast food; however, they work fine to satiate your hunger. “What’s up?”

_ “Oh, thank you. I already said this in the chatroom, but I saw that you hadn’t been online for a while,” _ he explains,  _ “so I decided to tell you over the phone just in case. Anyways, I have chosen a date for the party.” _

“Oh, right, the party! When will it be held?”

_ “In a month. I wanted to give you plenty of time to gather guests. Will that be alright?” _

“A month,” you echo. “Yeah, that sounds good. Hey, how have you been? You’re never in the messenger.”

_ “I’ve been traveling, taking photos. The reception isn’t the best, so I can’t talk much when I’m working. Are you well?” _

“As well as always. Hey, uh…”

_ “Yes?” _

“Luciel, he’s… he called me a couple nights ago. Said he needed to go on a mission. Do you know if he’ll be okay?”

_ “How much do you know?” _

“Only that his job is dangerous. He won’t say a word about anything else.”

_ “MC, I know you’re worried,” _ V murmurs, his voice soft,  _ “but Luciel is very skilled. He will be fine. Can you promise me that you won’t worry?” _

“No, I can’t. But, well, I can try to do it… less…”

_ “Perfect. I doubt that he wants you to think about this too much.” _

“I know, but I can’t help it. I even told him that I trust him and that I trust he can handle it, and I do! But I feel like such a liar, V. I can’t stop worrying about him.”

_ “It’s completely normal to be concerned. I know you care about him deeply.” _

“Did Zen tell you?”

He lets out a soft chuckle.  _ “Jaehee, actually.” _

“Damn. Well, erm… do you think it’ll work?”

_ “How about I answer that with another question: Do you?” _

“I still don’t know if he likes me back…”

_ “This is all hypothetical. How he may or may not feel doesn’t apply. Do  _ you _ think it will work?” _

You hold your breath, staring at the meal you’d chosen. Your fingers clench the little box. “Maybe. I hope so.”

_ “What matters, MC, is that you have faith in your relationship. If you feel that it doesn’t work out, you should act on that thought.” _ His words ring in your ears. They feel like more than just simple relationship advice. A severe tone lies in his voice, something tired and afraid.  _ “Remember that you are precious, too. Just as precious as he is to you.” _

“V?”

_ “My apologies, I have to go. Take care, MC.” _

“You, too. I’ll talk to you soon.” The call ends. Your mind works in overdrive in an attempt to pick each of his words apart.

_ ‘Remember that you are precious, too.’ _

That hidden little demon in your mind cackles at the thought.  _ ‘Who does he think he’s fooling? You know better. It’s the only thing you can even understand. Pathetic.’ _

“Shut up already,” you mutter to yourself. You stick your meal in the microwave and lean back against the counter. The hum fills your ears. It silences your negative thoughts.

For now.

Just for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Norse goddess **Lofn** presides over all relationships traditionally forbidden by society. Invoking her name can help lovers remove their own shame, facilitate their coming together, and protect them.


	16. 15: Oshun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I can see why. So, how did you get Jumin to let you take the morning off?”  
> She grins, her face glowing with the kind of energy that can’t quite transfer through photos. “Well, I told him that we were going to discuss plans for the party.”  
> “You lied to him?”  
> “Only a little!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK IN MY GROOVE, BABY  
> well i'm doing better than last week, at least  
> The upcoming chapters _still_ need titles, so I have to get that down soon. Like, really soon.  
>  But I've gotten over 770 words written of Chapter 18, and that's like! Really great!  
> This chapter is actually almost 1k words. Wild.
> 
>  
> 
> AND! Have an announcement regarding the In Their Eyes series!  
> I am currently working on the companion fics to Molten Gold! A couple of them (Deep Ruby and Dulled Zircon) already have docs in-progress, although they're only at the prologue at the time of writing this. These are: Deep Ruby (Zen), Fiery Agate (Jaehee), Sweet Amethyst (Yoosung), Sharp Spinel (Jumin), Cool Turquoise (V), and Dulled Zircon (Saeran).  
> I need betas for these fics! I currently have people interested in beta'ing for DR and SA (and possibly DZ? But that's very tentative). I'd like to have 1-2 betas for each fic, with different people for each one. Ambitious, I know, but these are going to be long stories;;; After all, MG is currently at 18 chapters written, at the half-point in the story.  
> Anyways, if you are interested in being a beta reader for any of these fics, please contact me on Discord! My tag is Intern Seraph#1607

A gentle hand ruffles your hair as you bury your face in your palms. You whine, not bothering to look up at Jaehee when she sits across from you. She sets a mug of coffee down. The fragrant steam fills your senses.

“Three weeks, Jaehee.”

“I know.”

“Do you think it’s dumb?” You peek at her from between your fingers. She takes a sip of her coffee and shakes her head.

“Not at all. You two have good chemistry, from what I’ve seen.”

“But… three weeks…”

“... Is plenty of time to start developing feelings. It may feel wrong, and people may frown upon it, but there’s nothing wrong with what you’re experiencing.” She gazes at you with unprecedented wisdom. Her mug is brought to her lips again, and you poke at your own drink. “I know I may not seem like it,” she says, speaking half to her coffee and half to you, “but I have experience in romance.”

“Oh? So you’re not innocent, huh?”

Her cheeks redden. “Well, if you want to put it that way…” she mumbles.

You pick up your mug and drink. There’s a faint hint of vanilla and cinnamon. “Wow, this is really good!”

“Thank you. I’ve been trying out new flavors lately, this is one of my favorites so far.”

“I can see why. So, how did you get Jumin to let you take the morning off?”

She grins, her face glowing with the kind of energy that can’t quite transfer through photos. “Well, I told him that we were going to discuss plans for the party.”

“You lied to him?”

“Only a little!” She takes off her fashion glasses and waves them by the arm. “We  _ will _ talk about the party…  _ after _ we talk about you and Luciel some more.”

“Never took you to be a gossip, Jaehee,” you say with a little snicker.

“Well, you’re learning all kinds of new things today, aren’t you?” The glasses go back onto her nose and she pushes them down to look at you over the rim. “Now spill! Have you told him yet?”

“Uh… yes and no? I did it indirectly, I guess.” You fiddle with your coffee mug’s handle. “He never told me if he likes me back, though. Hey, am I a cradle robber if I date a guy five years younger than me?”

“He’s twenty two!”

“Still!” You cover your face again. “Guys his age usually aren’t even done with  _ undergrad _ yet! I have a doctorate!”

“Would you be okay with it if it were the other way around?” She raises her mug and her eyebrows. “There’s no shame in dating a man a couple years younger than you.”

“I guess…” You swirl your drink, watching with idle fascination as the remaining scraps of foam dance at the surface.

Jaehee leans in. Conspiratorially, she whispers, “And anyways, Luciel would be halfway through graduate school by now. You know him.”

An undignified snort escapes you. “Yeah, you’re right. Hey, do you know if he even went to university?”

“Hmmm… you know, I’m not sure. He may have mentioned it before, but I can’t remember.” Her lips quirk up in a grin. “Maybe you should ask him!”

You only groan in response. Of course, you can’t say anything about what Luciel told you, not without his permission. He told  _ you, _ after all, not the others… but it feels dirty to keep it quiet like this.

“Now, how about we talk about the party? I’ve started assembling a list of the guests from the last party, though I can’t find all their contact info. I’ll send it to you when I finish, alright?”

“Sounds like a plan. What else do you need me to do?”

“Well, Mr. Han and I will arrange for catering and the party hall, as well as decorations. Zen and Yoosung are going to be on guest suggestion duty. Well, all of us will. V is auctioning off some of his photos. You’re going to be talking to guests. If you have any you’d like to invite, feel free to. Every guest suggestion must go through you, as the guest coordinator.”

“Understood.”

“We’d also like for you to write a speech for the party as an introduction. Since you’re our newest member, of course.”

“I’ll figure it out.” You take a sip of coffee. Ugh, it’s  _ freezing _ now. Your nose crinkles at the bridge. “Bleh.”

“I’ll heat it up.” She takes your mug and walks over to her kitchenette’s little counter.

You watch her fiddle with the microwave. Then, your gaze slides up to the cabinets. Something clicks in your head. You rummage around in your purse for a moment, then retrieve your prescription bottle. Right, you meant to take it before you left, but forgot and brought the meds with you… “Can I have a glass of water, too?”

“Of course.”

You shake a pill out onto your palm and stash away the bottle before she sees. She blinks at the pill for a moment, hesitating to set down the glass.

“What’s that?”   


“Oh, my pain medicine,” you lie. The medicine washes down easy.

“Huh. I’ve never seen that kind of pill before. What brand is it?”

“Tiaranol.” Your short answer and the look in your eyes tells her all she needs to know.  _ Drop it, please. _

“Oh, right. Headache?”

“Every day.” You smile, but it’s strained. Her fingers tangle in your hair again for a moment, brushing out the strands. You tilt your head into her touch and relish in the comforting gesture.

“Maybe you should see a doctor about it.” Your coffee, steaming once more, is set before you.

You take a sip. “I have.”

“Is it serious?”

“About as serious as frequent headaches get.”

“Well, if you’re ever feeling especially bad, we’re here for you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Never know when the pain fairy’ll come to visit.”

She lifts her mug, hiding her lips. “Indeed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An African goddess worshiped by the Yoruba people, **Oshun** is a goddess of love, sweet waters, and the river that gave her her name, Oshun.
> 
>  
> 
> ~~i love jaehee so much~~


	17. 16: Grauduse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No matter how hard he tries, he can’t swim after her. He screams her name, and the sea quakes. He’s tossed and turned in the water, swallowing seafoam and spitting it out until his lungs fill and the world goes black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, another short one. Sorry, guys! Chapter 18 is almost to 1000 words, though!
> 
> ANYWAYS, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!! I hope everyone is staying safe and feasting on sweets! I'm going trick-or-treating tonight, dressed as a plague doctor. You should totally look them up, the outfit is super cool (and spooky!) and the story behind them is really interesting! I recommend Fredrik Knudsen's Down The Rabbit Hole video on them ^^

He’s grown used to sleeping in his cars. Missions don’t usually allow for hotel stays, after all. He shifts where he lies, groaning as he stirs. Day 3, finally coming to a close… he is so  _ close _ to getting what he needed. One more break-in to get the last scraps, then he can capsize that whole operation. He clutches his little pillow closer to him and groans again. The car door opens, and Vanderwood peers in. He examines Seven for a moment, his amber eyes relaxed. Then, without a word, he moves to the trunk and takes a blanket. The soft cotton covers Seven, cocooning him in warmth. The door closes, and Vanderwood moves to the front seats.

The redhead’s chest rises and falls fitfully, fists balling into the blanket. He whines, falling back into his deep sleep.

-

–

—

His mouth fills with seawater as he plunges into the deep. The salt stings his lungs. He opens wider, trying to take in more, more, more. Let him be consumed by the sea, let his body sink to the sandy sea floor. He deserves it, deserves to rot at the bottom of the ocean. An ethereal glow sinks beside him. He turns, heavy with the pressure around him. Her eyes pull him in in time with her soft, gentle hands. She clasps him close and her lips move, sluggish in the water’s weight. Just barely, he makes out the words:

_ “Saeyoung, I love you.” _

And then her lips are on his. She pries his mouth open with a squeeze of his jaw. The seawater in his heart and lungs and blood flows hot and heavy from him to her. He shouts into her mouth and she holds him closer, rising to the surface of the sea. They part, and, gasping, he cups her cheeks. Their ashen hue makes his heart sink.

“Why?”

Clutching his hands close, she smiles. “I love you.” Water spills over her lips as she speaks. She kisses both of his palms and then, still smiling, sinks beneath the waves.

He screams. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t swim after her. He screams her name, and the sea quakes. He’s tossed and turned in the water, swallowing seafoam and spitting it out until his lungs fill and the world goes black.

—

–

-

“Seven! Wake up, dammit! Seven!”

He shouts and grabs for Vanderwood as he’s shaken awake. The other agent holds his wrists when he tries to take a swing.

“Let go, you bastard!” he slurs out, voice still laden with sleep. “Give her back! Give her  _ back!” _

“Snap out of it, kid! It’s just me!”

His muscles straining with the effort, Seven tries once more to throw off Vanderwood’s grip. “Bastard, bastard, bastard!” Hot tears form in his eyes, and his struggles slow to a stop. His shoulders shudder and his cheeks grow damp. With a sigh, Vanderwood releases his wrists. He immediately goes to grip the blanket entangled with his legs. “Is she okay?” he whispers.

“Probably. You were having a hell of a dream, huh?”

“Yeah. Shit, did I hurt you?” He wipes his eyes on the sleeve of his sleeping shirt.

“Nah, but you tried your damndest to. Nearly got a good hit on me. Be glad I’m a quick thinker.”

“Always am.” He sits up and rubs his eyes. Then, muttering to himself, he grabs his glasses and slips them on.

“So, what were you dreaming about, anyway? Had to do with that girl, yeah?”

“She died. That’s all I remember.”

“That’s rough.” Vanderwood glances off to the side, clearly becoming uncomfortable. “Get changed, kid. We’re going in again today.”

He sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose. Phantom blood flakes off of his fingers and scatters along his skin. “Got it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Grauduse** is a Baltic goddess, one whose realm is very specific. Her name meaning "sorrow" or "sadness", she is the goddess of drowning in the Baltic sea.


	18. 17: Hnoss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So if I, hypothetically, were to fantasize about hugging the guy I like…”
> 
> _“Uh huh.”_
> 
> “And I — hypothetically! — hugged a pillow while thinking about hugging him… is, uh, is that weird…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HHHHHHHHHHH  
> SO CHAPTER 18 IS STILL IN THE WORKS AND I AM DYING  
> It may be late next week, I'm so sorry!

_ “Agent 707 is doing what his boss is telling him to do so don’t worry! Please send your messages to Vanderwood! If it isn’t the agency calling… just know that I can’t take your call because I work 24 hours like a hacking slave. Send me an email if you find any problems. The beep is there for nothing! But still listen to it!” _

You hold the phone closer to your ear and sigh, ending the call. God, you hope he’s safe. He has to be safe. Especially after what happened in that damn bathroom… yes, he’s safe. You have full faith. Full. Faith. You told him yourself, after all.

“Snap out of it, MC,” you grumble, pressing your palms to your cheeks and mushing them in circles.

(You don’t snap out of it. The thoughts of worse and worse things happening to Luciel flood your brain until the cacophony of fear washes over you in waves, drowning you in a sea of “what if”s.)

You find yourself pacing the apartment living room. Back and forth and back and forth from the bedroom door to the kitchen archway and back and forth again. Repetitive action to beget a calm mind. Erase the anxiety. Pace. You chew your lip to shreds but the pain hardly registers in your mind. No, it’s a welcome distraction. You promised that you wouldn’t worry.

V’s words bounce in your mind:  _ “It’s completely normal to be concerned.” _

_ ‘But it’s not. He was just trying to get you to shut up. Silly, stupid girl.’ _

You flop down on the leather couch and scream into one of your cheap pillows. Fuck your brain, fuck your thoughts, fuck all of this. Garbage. Garbage thoughts, all of them.

You hug the pillow close and bury your face into it. For a moment you imagine that the shaggy threads on the face-up side are hair and card your fingers through the strands. What would he feel like in your arms? God, the idea of just sitting and holding him… it makes your entire body relax. You cast a shy glance up at the camera you found 2 days ago. You wonder if he can see you in this bizarre and brazen display of affection. Maybe he’ll find you childish. After all, you’re 27 and acting like a lovesick schoolgirl. But then again, this seems right up his alley. You even met him when he was crossdressing, so what’s so weird about a little pillow cuddling? Yeah, you’re fine.

Without thinking, you’re dialing Zen’s number and he’s picking up.

_ “Hey, babe. What’s up?” _

“Zenny,” you greet, sounding far away even to yourself, “I have a weird question. Hear me out?”

_ “No such thing! Is it about Seven?” _

“Are you about to get a surprise ass-kicking visit?”

He snorts.  _ “Okay, okay, continue.” _

“So if I, hypothetically, were to fantasize about hugging the guy I like…”

_ “Uh huh.” _

“And I — hypothetically! — hugged a pillow while thinking about hugging him… is, uh, is that weird…?”

_ “Hmmm… well, you’re not doing it in public, right?” _

“Well, no.”

_ “Then you’re fine. It’s totally normal to do that. Y’know, when I got my first crush, I…” _ His voice trails off.  _ “Nevermind.” _

“No, no! Keep going. Tell me all the juicy details, Zenny.”

_ “I just felt a chill…” _

“Go on!”

_ “Well… don’t tell anyone about this! But I used to practice kissing with one of my pillows.” _

You burst out into giggles. “That poor pillow!”

_ “Hey! I’ll have you know that I am a  _ great  _ kisser.” _

“You’re also pretty great at making me feel better about my embarrassing habits.”

There’s a beat of silence, then both of you erupt into laughter.

_ “You’re so mean to me, MC.” _

“Aw, you make it so easy, though!” You lean back against the couch cushions and draw your knees up, still holding the pillow under one arm. “So, how have your rehearsals been going?”

_ “Mm, good so far. We went over the reveal scene today. Finally,” _  he exclaims, laughing,  _ “I’m onstage!” _

“Oh?”

_ “I’m invisible for pretty much the entire first and second acts. I can’t even be onstage with the lead actress!” _

“Ohhh, right, I remember that from the movie. How miserable is it?”

He sighs dramatically.  _ “The. Worst. I’m an actor who’s not allowed to act!” _

“The cruelest of tortures, I’m sure.”

_ “Yes!” _ Faintly, you hear the sound of the back of his hand connecting with his forehead. You snort at the sound, picturing him reclining across his bed (or couch, or maybe even his counter) and swooning.  _ “Don’t laugh at me! I’m in a crisis!” _

“Mmm, do you need my professional guidance?”

_ “What, does the doctor have an opening for a poor actor like me?” _

“If you ask nicely. Seriously, though, is it that bad?”

_ “How would you feel if you had to counsel over the phone?” _

“Point taken. But hey, you’re onstage now, that’s gotta count for something.”

_ “True. Hey, are you open for lunch tomorrow?” _

“I think so, why?”

_ “You know why…” _

Your unamused silence stretches the half-minute-or-so between the end of that sentence and the next by a lifetime.

_ “You. Seven. We need to plan things!” _

“Someone’s excited.”

_ “To help a dear friend! All men are wolves, MC, and I’m here to keep you safe!” _

“Uh-huh. Does keeping me safe include flirting advice?”

_ “Maybe.” _

“I thought so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Hnoss** is the Norse goddess of lust and desire, and her name can be translated as meaning "treasure" or "jewel".


	19. 18: Vohu Manah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Doctor!” Hyejin exclaims, sounding giddy and just a little bit cheeky. “Where’re you going?”
> 
> You shrug and adjust the crisp white collar of the shirt under your sweater. “Out with a friend, why?”
> 
> “A friend?” Her eyes light up in that way that automatically makes you expect trouble. “Who is it?”
> 
> “I’m not saying, you’ll gossip!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can't believe i managed to get this chapter written *and* named in time fgthyuji
> 
> Anywho, hope yall are having a good day! No long-winded spiel this time, rejoice!

The world tips sideways as he slides beneath the console. Shit, shit,  _ shit. _ He hadn’t expected them to come back this soon! He sends a frantic text to Vanderwood, keeping one eye on the feet outside his hiding place. He has to somehow get out before they realize his presence, before they train their pistols on him and pop two gaping pits in his pretty little face. He can’t die now, not when he has her life in his hands…

He could always just shoot the bastards and run. But of course, he doesn’t quite feel like vomiting everywhere afterwards. So for now, he’s trapped. It’s  _ almost _ worse than the boiler room. Almost. The cramped space and threat of death hanging right before his eyes are nothing compared to the unbearable heat of that wretched place, though. That whole ordeal ruined saunas for the rest of the goddamn year. Couldn’t even take a decently hot shower without panicking.

He backs up against the mess of wires lining the wall. All he has to do is cut them, short out the system, maybe even leave a nice little virus as a parting gift. But he can’t. The most frustrating part about this whole damn situation is how  _ helpless _ he is. Like a cockroach hiding from the human with their  _ Fraid. _ He wraps his arms around his knees and watches the feet shuffle around. Please leave. Please leave. Oh Lord above, please leave. The idle chit chat from the two men only serves to make his heart pound louder and louder in his ears. What if they look down? What if they see his shoes peek out from under the console? He should shoot. He should catch them off-guard and get rid of them before they get rid of  _ him. _

But, shit, they’re talking about their  _ families _ and one of them just had a  _ baby _ and he can’t bring himself to draw his pistol. God, he’s gone soft. Vanderwood would clock him over the head if he knew. But Vanderwood doesn’t need to know.

Finally, finally, the two men make their way to the door and one after another, they leave. Seven crawls out from his hiding spot, brushing cobwebs and other filth off of his nice clean uniform (Vanderwood will have a goddamn aneurysm when he sees what’s left on the thing). He takes out his flash drive, twirling it nimbly between his fingers, and inserts it into the port. His little gift to them: a virus capable of ruining their systems for a good year or so. As soon as he knows that the bug has done its work, he takes out his little wirecutter and snips apart the mass he’d been pressed up against for the past half hour or so.

Insult to injury, y’know.

He sends another text to Vanderwood, this time of victory and not of fear. They can go home now. All he can think is that it’s about goddamn time.

He misses talking to MC, anyways.

-

–

—

Hyejin bounces up alongside you as you pass by the reception desk on your way out to your lunch break. The lone patient in the waiting room, a middle aged woman with worry lines etched into her forehead, looks up at the two of you before ducking her head down again.

“Doctor!” Hyejin exclaims, sounding giddy and just a little bit cheeky. “Where’re you going?”

You shrug and adjust the crisp white collar of the shirt under your sweater. “Out with a friend, why?”

“A friend?” Her eyes light up in that way that automatically makes you expect trouble. “Who is it?”

“I’m not saying, you’ll gossip!” you argue, letting out a little laugh. “Don’t you have somewhere to be, anyways?”

“Mmph, I can keep a secret,” she mutters. Her cheeks puff up in indignation. “C’mon!”

“How do I know I can trust you to keep a secret?” You quirk an eyebrow at her, and she sticks out her tongue at you.

_ “C’mon, _ Doctor!”

“Okay, okay. Don’t read too far into it!” you say, adding the last comment in a burst of worry. “I’m having lunch with Zen.”

Hyejin squeals. You roll your eyes, and she hops around you, excited energy making her shake. “A date!”

“Not a date.” You roll your eyes again at her, and she stops in front of you to hold your hands.

“It’s totally a date!”   


“No way, he’s just a friend. More like a brother. Besides, I already have someone I like.”

Immediately you regret adding that extra little detail. Her eyes go wide, and an inhuman noise escapes her. “You do?!”

“Oh boy.”

“Who is it?” she squeals with girlish excitement.

“Not telling.” You brush past her and hide a grin when she whines at you. Adorable. You shout a parting comment back at her, “Maybe I’ll tell you later!”

_ “Oh!” _

—

–

-

“Zen!”

The actor locks eyes with you, grins, and walks over. His arm loops around your shoulders, and he raises a hand in a mock-threat to muss your hair. You squeal and duck away.

“No touching!” You hold up both hands and laugh as he reaches over again. “C’mon, we’re not going to have enough time to eat!”

“Alright, alright.” He wraps his arm around your shoulders again and the two of you walk into the restaurant. It’s a simple place, a low-price ramen shop that exudes a warm and homey atmosphere. One of the hosts, an elderly woman who speaks with the other host (Her husband, you assume) in Japanese, smiles at Zen when she spots him.

“Good afternoon,” she says, the smile lines around her eyes and lips crinkling, “table for two?”

“Yes, please.”

She leads you to your seats and leaves you to talk. The comfortable ambience of the place, coupled with worn upholstery that you practically sink into and the delicious smell of mid-priced ramen all make you feel sleepy. It feels like a safe place, one that Zen is obviously very familiar with, judging from the look he exchanged with the hostess.

“Come here often?” you tease, leaning your chin on your palms and batting your lashes.

“Every couple of weeks,” he replies, settling back against the booth. “The Sasakis are good people. I’ve known them for a few years, now.”

“I see, I see. Never took you to be a ramen guy. I always pictured, like, muscle food.”

“Honestly, my diet is mostly beer and takeout.”

Your jaw drops. “Oh my god! What’s your secret?”

A laugh, then a flamboyant flip of his ponytail. “My secret is my otherworldly perfection, of course!”

“That’s not a real answer!”

He dodges your dagger-glare with a hearty laugh. “Yes it is!”

Mrs. Sasaki clears her throat. You both freeze and slowly turn to look at her. Amusement sparkles in her dark eyes. “Am I interrupting?”

“No,” Zen replies, sitting up straight. He flashes her a dazzling smile. “My friend and I were just discussing our order.”

She raises one plucked brow. “I see. I’ll leave you two to it, then. Press the button when you’re ready.” Her weathered hand waves to a little hidden button on the end of the table. Then, with a knowing look at Zen, she glides away and disappears into the kitchen.

As soon as she vanishes from sight, Zen leans in. He glances from side to side, grinning conspiratorially.

“Alright, let’s talk about you and Seven.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Vohu Manah** is a Zoroastrian spirit whose name means "Good mind". He is one of the Amesha Spentas, holy immortals embodying aspects of God. Vohu Manah promotes the state of mind that allows an individual to accomplish their duties.
> 
>  
> 
> i promise i'm not writing a love triangle mc and zen are just good friends!!! #promoteplatonicmalefemalefriendships #justbecauseamanandawomanareincloseproximityandinteractpositivelydoesn'tmeanthey'reinlove


	20. 19: Kannon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God, he wants to talk to her… he just wants to hear her voice…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY for how late this is! I've been having a lot of trouble getting up the energy to keep up with a chapter a week, especially with work for the Winterzine and all my schoolwork!  
> Which brings me to my main announcement.  
> I will be temporarily changing my update schedule to **every other Wednesday** rather than every Wednesday. I really hope that this will give me more wiggle room for writing better (and longer?!) chapters!  
>  Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers who celebrate, I'll see yall in a couple of weeks!

“Ohhhh,” Seven cries out, rushing to one of the sportscars sitting in his garage and throwing himself onto the hood in a melodramatic embrace, “my baaaaaabes! I missed you so muuuuuch!”

Behind him, his partner’s measured footsteps echo against the concrete. A hand grasps him by the scruff of his neck and hoists him up. “Come on, Zero Seven,” Vanderwood grumbles, “get inside, you need a damn shower.”

“As opposed to a blessed shower?”

The older man rolls his eyes and half-carries, half-drags him inside. “The faster you bathe, the faster we can wrap this up. Move it, kid.”

… And the faster they wrap up their work, the sooner he can message MC. His heart leaps to his throat and he wriggles free of Vanderwood’s grip. With a bounce in his step, he bounds down the hall to the bathroom. As he strips off his filthy clothes, he spares a glance in the mirror. A thin layer of dirt tints his tanned face a hint darker and turns the skin ashen. His hair is limp and shiny from grease. He grimaces and looks away. Gross. His last shower had been… well, the movie night didn’t count, it had only been a quick rinse to make his skin feel a bit lighter.

He jumps under the showerhead without waiting for the water to warm. The cold sends a shock down his spine and he nearly shouts from the sensation. As he bathes, he watches little tubes of dead skin and dirt appear on his bare body and swirl down the drain, turning the water a speckled gray. He scrubs until the soft fawn turns ruddy and splotched from abuse. He scrubs until the water runs clear and his skin burns. When he steps out, the cool air hits him all at once. A violent shiver overcomes him, bending him over forwards like a soggy piece of paper. With trembling fingers, he grabs his towel and begins to dry himself down. He glances in the mirror. The face that stares back at him is more familiar, enough so that the pulse of disgust in his chest is pushed back a fraction. The faint scatter of freckles over the bridge of his nose, the enlivened rosy glow on his cheeks making him seem less  _ dead to the world, _ the grease gone from his hair.

God, he wants to talk to her… he just wants to hear her voice…

Mission debriefing goes as fast as humanly possible. As soon as the call is over and money received, Vanderwood rolls his eyes at Seven and thumbs over to the bedroom. “Go call her, kid, you deserve it.”

He nearly trips over himself in his haste. It’s not too late, she should be awake, right? It takes a minute of digging through his pile of various cell phones (Business, burner, burner, burner, business…) to find the one he uses for civvie purposes. His eyebrows shoot up when he sees just how much she must have missed him, too: 10 missed calls. He feels his heart skip a beat, and his fingers shake as he goes to her speedial.

One, two, three rings.

_ “Hello?” _ she murmurs, her voice soft and fatigued.  _ “Luciel, is that you?” _

“MC,” he says, curling up in bed with a sigh, “I missed talking to you.”

_ “Oh, gosh, you’re back? I missed you, too. Are you okay?” _

“I was about to ask you the same thing. You sound tired. Have you been sleeping enough?”

_ “Mm… I guess today’s just, uh, one of those days.” _ Her quiet laugh trails off.  _ “You didn’t answer my question, though.” _

“Darn, you caught me! I’m fine, though. Just worried about you.”

_ “Is this just gonna be a loop of ‘I’m worried more’? I guarantee that I’ll win, by the way. I’ve been worried sick about you all week!” _

“You shouldn’t be.”  _ ‘I’m not worth it’ _

Her end of the line goes silent. His heart thuds in his ears, so loud that it fills the empty space where her words should be.

_ “Don’t say that,” _ she whispers, barely audible,  _ “please don’t say that.” _

His chest hurts. He grasps at the fabric covering his heart. Why does she sound so sad?  _ Why can he only end up hurting her? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Kannon** is an Asian (Multi-denominational, worshiped in several regions) deity of compassion and mercy. They are portrayed as both male and female, however most modern depictions are of Kannon as a goddess. Kannon, in her feminine form, is also a symbol of the divine mother.
> 
> (There is a LOT about Kannon that i literally cannot fit here, please search them up to learn more!)


	21. 20: Oizys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was almost 2am when you woke up. You hate these early risings. Your body never agrees to fall back asleep. And then it complains about being tired. Fucking hypocrite.
> 
> A groan, a grunt, a soft _thud_ as you roll out of bed. Dark. Cold. Tired. Awful. You grab the comforter and wrap it around yourself. Melatonin time, you suppose. As you make your way to the kitchen, you steal a glance up at the security cam. Luciel better be asleep.
> 
> A pill in your palm. A glass of water. Another stolen glance. You crawl back into bed and wait for the hormone to take effect. Your sleep is black, dreamless save for the form of a pale man with teal eyes lingering in the periphery of your vision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all have my deepest apologies for the lateness of this chapter. I don't really have a valid excuse, save for the fact that I've been constructing Mint Eye in Minecraft and that has been CONSUMING MY LIFE  
> i am  
> very sorry  
> But anyways, have some news: Since the apocalypse is nigh on Tunglr.Hell, I have decided to be active on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/InternSeraph)! I'll be sharing sneak peeks and progress updates there! Give it a look-see if you want!

Your entire body is heavy. You roll onto your side after a moment of struggle, groaning with the effort it takes to move. But… your phone is ringing. You have to answer. It could be…

Luciel. It  _ is _ him. You grasp for your phone, suddenly invigorated.

“Hello?” You watch the screen, eyes half-lidded with fatigue. “Luciel, is that you?”

As you listen to his answer, you chew the inside of your cheek to shreds. He missed you, too… he  _ missed you. _ Maybe you should finally ask him about…

No. No, you shouldn’t. You need to leave it be, for the sake of your friendship.

The conversation meanders, swaying back and forth like a wandering snake, but always coming back to his health.

_ You need to take better care, _ you say.

_ Don’t worry about it, _ he replies.

_ I worry because I care. _

_ But you shouldn’t care. _

Your heart twists and turns in its fleshy cage, straining to break free. You clutch the breast of your pajama top with trembling, weak fingers. “Please don’t say that.”

Silence from the other end.

_ “Okay,” _ he murmurs after an eternity.

“Promise me that,” you demand, “promise that you won’t say it.”

_ “I promise.” _

But you know that you are both liars.

“Keep in touch, okay? You owe me talking time for the week.”

Finally, he laughs.  _ “I will. I missed this.” _

“Being scolded?”

_ “That too. Are you sure you’re okay?” _

“Better than ever.”

_ “Stay safe, MC. Call me if anything happens. Promise me that.” _

“I don’t need to promise that, you know me.”

_ “It helps soothe my poor, aching heart.” _

“Alright, drama queen, I promise.”

_ “Good.” _

Silence. You stare at the caller ID. Watch the unmoving face of his avatar. “I’ll keep in touch. Do you…”

_ “Do I..?” _

“Nevermind. See you in the chatroom… I missed you,” you repeat. Your teeth sink into the soft flesh of your lip. “Bye.”

_ “Bye.” _

The call disconnects. So does your heart.

-

–

—

You lie sprawled out under the covers. The ceiling twists and swirls in the dim lighting, the navy blanket of night allowing you to just barely make out shapes in your bedroom. It’s cold, even with the plush comforter over you. However, you can’t be assed to move to the thermostat.

It was almost 2am when you woke up. You hate these early risings. Your body never agrees to fall back asleep. And then it complains about being tired. Fucking hypocrite.

A groan, a grunt, a soft  _ thud _ as you roll out of bed. Dark. Cold. Tired. Awful. You grab the comforter and wrap it around yourself. Melatonin time, you suppose. As you make your way to the kitchen, you steal a glance up at the security cam. Luciel better be asleep.

A pill in your palm. A glass of water. Another stolen glance. You crawl back into bed and wait for the hormone to take effect. Your sleep is black, dreamless save for the form of a pale man with teal eyes lingering in the periphery of your vision.

—

–

-

He kneels at the feet of the woman before him. Kisses her ankles. Dares not look into her eyes.

“How is your progress?” she asks with a honeyed voice.

“My programs can’t break him,” he murmurs, nose brushing the floor. “I keep working, but he’s always ahead.”

“So, nothing, then?” He chances a look at her porcelain face. Her tone is warm but her gaze is icy. He averts his eyes again.

“I’m making progress.” It sounds less like an assertion and more like a plea.

“Hm, well,” she starts, gripping his chin between her fingers and forcing him to look up at her, “progress is not quite completion, wouldn’t you say?”

His throat constricts. All he can manage is a miniscule shake of his head.

“If you continue to disappoint me…” Her voice trails off meaningfully. He doesn’t have to think much to fill in the missing words.

“My Savior,” he gasps, tears brimming in his eyes, “I promise, you won’t have to do that!”

Her placid smile returns, and she releases his chin. He slumps to the floor once more.

“I’m glad. You’re such a good boy for me, I would hate to punish you.”

He nods. “Thank you, Savior. I am unworthy of your trust.”

“Perhaps you are.” The silence hangs in the air for a moment, heavy on his back. “Alright, you are dismissed. For eternal Paradise.”

He rises a bit too quickly. “For eternal Paradise.”

He can’t leave the room fast enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Greek goddess **Oizys** is the goddess of misery, anxiety, grief, and depression. She is the daughter of Nyx, goddess of the night.


	22. 21: Philia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lean on me,” he offers. She stares at him, processing. Then, without hesitation, she shuffles over and rests her head on his shoulder.
> 
> “Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for being late! Had to wait on beta feedback and needed to get a chapter title, but here we are! Sorry if the quality's a bit low >.>
> 
> In other news, I have my last day of finals today, which means that I'm starting winter break! I'll hopefully be able to spread my time out between writing this and working on the build mentioned last chapter. And, speaking of winter, I contributed a written piece to the [MM Winterzine!](https://mm-discord.tumblr.com/post/181216004477/seasons-greetings-to-everyone-%E3%81%A4-%E3%81%A4) This zine is FREE TO DOWNLOAD starting on the 24th of December! Check it out when it's released, there are some really awesome writers and artists who contributed!
> 
> And remember that you can follow me on [my Twitter](https://twitter.com/InternSeraph) for updates on fic progress and general life stuff! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

He almost doesn’t notice her when he gets on the bus. She’s pressed up against a window, watching the rain with an unreadable expression. He sits beside her, watches her as her eyelids flutter open and shut. Open and shut. Open and shut.

He reaches out to tap her shoulder. It takes a moment for her to react, her body moving as if in slow-motion. She smiles when she sees him.

“Hey,” she drawls out, ending with a sleepy nod. “Didn’t… didn’t think I’d see you again.”

“Neither did I,” he lies.

He could take her right now. She’s so out of it that he could bring her to the Savior and she wouldn’t even notice. He could _save her._ And maybe then… yes, maybe then the cold glint will fade from his Savior’s eyes.

But they’re in public, and he can’t risk it. Not here, not here.

So instead, he asks, “How are you?”

Her smile fades. “Tired. You?”

“Tired.”

She laughs. The fog in her eyes lifts for a heartbeat. “One in the same. Are you ready to to tell me your name now?”

His shoulders stiffen. Her eyes flutter shut again, and a soft sigh drifts from her lips.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She leans against the side of the bus. He watches her body bounce as they drive over rough pavement. Her head lolls. It’s as if she’s fallen asleep, but he knows better. He hesitates for a moment, then sheds his leather jacket, revealing the long-sleeved cotton shirt beneath.

“Lean on me,” he offers. She stares at him, processing. Then, without hesitation, she shuffles over and rests her head on his shoulder.

“Thanks.”

“What are friends for?” Friends? What is he saying? He doesn’t have friends, he doesn’t need friends, he—

“Headrests,” she replies. Her eyes have slid shut.

For a moment, he allows himself to enjoy the quiet company of another person. Perhaps this one won’t betray him.

-

–

—

When you wake up, the pale man is gone. You stare at the spot where he’d just been. The plastic is still warm.

—

–

-

 

Jumin Han: MC, I have a question for you.

MC: ya?

Jumin Han: Are you available on Tuesday?

MC: eh?

Jumin Han: I’d like to meet with you to discuss potential guests.

MC: Not here?

Jumin Han: Correction. I’d like you to meet potential guests.

MC: oh

MC: OH

MC: Well I think I have time

Jumin Han: Good. I will handle lunch expenses, so all you need to do is wear something suitable for a business meeting.

MC: roger roger

Jumin Han: …

Jumin Han: One more thing.

MC: huh

Jumin Han: Are you alright?

MC: whaddya mean

Jumin Han: Hm…

Jumin Han: Your typing style seems different.

MC: do share

MC: analyze me

Jumin Han: Usually, you speak with proper capitalization.

Jumin Han: Aside from… emphasis, you called it?

MC: ya

MC: i mean, idk

MC: getting a lot of migraines recently

Jumin Han: I see.

Jumin Han: If you need any medication, I can help you get the best help in Korea.

MC: you don’t have to, dw

MC: i have meds

MC: need to talk to my doctor abt upping my dose though

Jumin Han: Well, you know where I am.

MC: thank you

MC: for offering, i mean

MC: youre a good friend :)

Jumin Han: I’m glad you think so.

Jumin Han: I hope your migraines stop soon.

MC: :)

MC: thank you again

MC: I’ll see you Tuesday.

Jumin Han: Goodbye, then.

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom._

_MC has left the chatroom._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of the Greek forms of love, **Philia** is typically that of affectionate friendship, a platonic sort of love and loyalty.


	23. 22: Empanda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yes, I was in contact with an associate of one of the younger members, he introduced me to Mr. Han and Mr. Kim.” You smile and clasp both hands, setting them on the table to keep them from showing a noticeable nervous tremble. “And, ah, let’s not talk about Rika, please. A lot of the members are still in mourning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Alcohol consumption
> 
> this entire chapter is just a business meeting, i wrote 1k words about a fuckin business meeting i'm sorry
> 
> Happy new year! Just a warning in advance, this chapter has not been reviewed by my betas. However, I wanted to get it out on time. Please excuse any mistakes!!

Monday passes by as a blur of words and actions. You’re endlessly grateful that college burned the habit of note-taking into your everyday life. Otherwise, you wouldn’t trust yourself to remember a thing that goes on in those hazy sessions.

Now, you stand before the bathroom mirror in the apartment. You adjust your dress again, pat more concealer over the shadows under your eyes. You’ve spent far too long on your makeup already, but after having moved some appointments around—thank god those clients practically leaped at the chance—it’s damn well worth your time to at least  _ look _ like half the charity representative you’re supposed to be. Anyways, you can’t bear to imagine what Jumin would think if you just arrived in your casual work attire.

The designated pick-up location is blessedly close to the apartment. You manage to make it just as a limo pulls up curbside. The driver’s side window rolls down, and a friendly, elderly face appears.

“Are you MC?” the man asks. You nod. “Pleasure to meet you. Mr. Han sent me.”

“So, Driver Kim?” You slide into the backseat. “Jumin says you’re really good.”

He glances over at you in the rearview mirror, and you see his eyes crinkle at the corners. He doesn’t otherwise comment on what you said. “Our destination isn’t too far, we’ll be there in about five minutes.”

“Think that’s enough time for a nap?”

This earns you a hearty laugh. “If you feel like taking the risk, I can’t stop you.”

You choose to struggle to stay awake.

-

–

—

The restaurant feels almost hostile in how unabashedly  _ rich _ and  _ bougie _ it is. Suddenly, your nice dress appears far more dull and frumpy, especially in comparison to the veritable  _ banks _ some of the other women here are wearing. You feel like a sparrow among peacocks.

“Are you here alone?” the host asks when you walk up to his stand.

“Ah, no,” you respond after a moment of shell-shock. “I’m here with… I think it should be under ‘Han’?” Your weight shifts from foot to foot as you clutch a fashion purse in both hands.

“Han? Jumin Han, you mean?” The host’s back straightens when you nod. “Right this way, ma’am.”

“Thank you.” You half-jog after him, trying to match his brisk pace in your killer heels. You should have worn flats, you should have worn flats, you should have worn flats…

Jumin rises from one of the booths, his grey eyes sparkling in delight. “MC?”

You smile, body relaxing. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person, Mr. Han,” you say, reaching out to shake his hand.

Two older men also stand, both wearing well-tailored suits. The younger of the two steps forward and bows. You do the same.

“Professor Yeongcheol Sung,” he says. “You must be Dr. MC? Mr. Han has been telling us about you.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Professor Sung. And… he has?” You laugh and glance away. “Good things, I hope.”

“Yes, yes. He speaks very highly of you.”

The older man approaches next, burnished copper eyes assessing you. You bow low, as does he. “I am Subin Lee. How did you come to meet Mr. Han, Doctor?” He sits down, followed by Mr. Sung, then Jumin, and then yourself.

“Through charity work,” you reply. You pick up the bottle of wine in the center of the table. “Drinks?”

“Yes, please.” Mr. Lee holds out his wine glass, and the other men follow suit. As you pour some drink for them, he continues to speak: “When Mr. Han mentioned a Dr. MC, I expected a foreigner, but certainly not a young lady. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, though, you seem like a perfectly lovely woman. Tell me, what school did you attend?”

“Oh, well…” you trail off and set the wine bottle down. “I went to the University of Los Angeles for my PhD.”

“That’s a rather expensive school, no?”

“Scholarships covered some of the costs. I, ah, graduated with honors.”

“Honors!” Professor Sung raises both brows. “Very good, very good. Mr. Han, were you the one who scouted out Dr. MC? Or was it V? Wait, was it Rika? Before she passed, I mean. May she rest in peace.”

Jumin shifts in his seat, frowning. “No, no. Another member did.”

“Yes, I was in contact with an associate of one of the younger members, he introduced me to Mr. Han and Mr. Kim.” You smile and clasp both hands, setting them on the table to keep them from showing a noticeable nervous tremble. “And, ah, let’s not talk about Rika, please. A lot of the members are still in mourning.”

Professor Sung nods. “Yes, I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s fine.” Your nails dig into your skin; if any of the men notice, they don’t mention it.

Jumin takes the wine bottle. He lifts it, gesturing to you. “Wine, Doctor?”

You eye it nervously. Your teeth sink into the inner flesh of your lip. “Sure.” You don’t want to take the drink, you really  _ shouldn’t _ take it, but to refuse would be rude… and to be rude would embarrass Jumin and possibly lose these guests. Taking your gaze off your glass as it steadily fills with alcohol, you smile at the Professor and Mr. Lee. “So, what are your fields?”

“Psychology,” Mr. Lee answers. He reaches into his pocket and reveals a little card case. With both hands, he gives you a business card. You accept it with both hands, in turn. “I am the head of Hearts and Minds International. We run studies on the physical effects of psychological phenomena.”

You perk up. The card is set down with care, and then you take the opportunity to stare wide-eyed at him. “Wait, really? I’ve heard of your organization! I really admire your work!”

A genuine smile graces his face. “Well, I’m glad. Professor Sung also does good work, though in another area.”

“I teach Clinical Psychology at SKY,” the Professor chimes in. He hands you his card, as well. You set it down with the other and search your purse for your new card holder. “You know SKY, yes?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s very prestigious, from my understanding.” You find the holder and slip the men’s cards in, before procuring two of your own. “My card, sirs.” Your eyes flick to Jumin, who has opened his menu. “Ju—Mr. Han, I have a question.”

“Yes?”

“I was just wondering why you wanted us all to meet in person, rather than through email.” You grasp the stem of your wine glass. The liquid swirls inside, dark like blood and strong with the scent of decades-long fermentation. “Not that I mind, it’s an honor to meet such prestigious men.”

“Well,” Jumin begins, lifting his glass and taking a long sip, “I thought that meeting people of your field at the same time that you learn about our choice for our charities this year would be appropriate.”

The rim of your glass presses against your lip. “Huh?”

“After some discussion, Assistant Kang and I have decided that the proceeds from this party will go to charities in the field of psychology.” He smiles, pride clear on his face. “You inspired this choice, of course, as well as… the untimely passing of our founder.” The smile fades.

His gaze is intense. You take a drink to avoid it. The melancholy in his eyes feels unwaveringly, frighteningly familiar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Empanda** is an ancient Roman goddess of charity and openness. Her temple served as a shelter for those in need.


	24. 23: Janus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“How much did you drink?”_
> 
> “Uh… A couple glasses? Maybe… four? I stopped there, I think, I dunno.” You laugh, covering your eyes with your palm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Mentions of alcohol use, drunkenness, gun
> 
> Sorry for it being so late in the evening! Took me ages to find a suitable chapter title :V

When you get home, you feel woozy, the kind of out of it that emerges when you have a fever. Vaguely, you remember the tail end of the meeting: Jumin shaking hands with both of the men, him slinging an arm around your shoulders in a side-hug, a bubbly laugh fluttering in your chest, being driven back to the meeting place.

You kick off your shoes at the door, as usual. Good riddance, those heels were gonna totally warp your feet! With a soft chuckle to yourself at the thought, you start to strip out of your dress. Pajamas, pajamas, pajamas! God, all you want is to change into something nice and warm and comfy…

Faintly, you hear your phone ring. You trudge over to your purse and plop down next to it. The hardwood chills you through your underwear, sending a shiver through you.

“Heeey!” You lie back onto the pile of dress on the ground. “Who’s this?”

_ “MC, I saw you stumble into the apartment, are you okay?” _

“Luciel? Oh, oh, I just got back from lunch!”

_ “Lunch.” _

“Yeah! Jumin wanted me to meet some guests, and we met some guests, and I might! Have had some wine!”

_ “Wine?” _

“I knew I shouldn’t’ve, ‘m not good with alcohol, and I’m teeeechnically not supposed to have it at all, but wouldn’t that be rude? That’d be super rude!”

_ “How much did you drink?” _

“Uh… A couple glasses? Maybe… four? I stopped there, I think, I dunno.” You laugh, covering your eyes with your palm.

He sighs, not unkindly.  _ “Okay. Okay, just make sure to drink plenty of water.” _

You nod, unsure if he can see you.

_ “And rest up!” _

You nod again.

_ “And… and sleep on your side!” _

Another.

_ “And… tell Jumin next time. I never, never want to see you have something you don’t want.” _

“Okay.”

When you wake up the next morning, you don’t quite remember what he said next, but you know that it made you laugh for a good, long minute. Maybe it was just the wine.

—

–

-

The group of robed men and women swerves to the side as he marches down the hall, wide eyes watching him pass. They’re afraid of him.  _ ‘Good,’ _ he thinks. When he turns around the corner, out of sight, he leans heavily against the wall. Blunt nails dig into his scalp, and he grits his teeth. Fuck, fuck,  _ fuck! _ Fuck that redhead, and fuck that stupid little… no. No, no, he won’t let her be taken so easily. No, the traitor can’t, won’t, will  _ never _ have his prize. His fist slams against the wall. No, he has to take action. He has to take her before they get any closer.

The Savior… she’ll be unhappy, sure, but when she has her, she’ll see. She’ll see just how wonderful it is to have such an asset at her fingertips, at her beck and call. He’d be in charge of her cleansing, too. He could shape her. Shape her into something greater; greater than anything the  _ traitor _ will ever deserve.

His eyes snap shut. He sees her face from mere days before: Sullen, washed-out, tired. The image makes his heart clench. He needs to save her, before she is further corrupted, before she’s brought beyond salvation.

He needs to do it soon.

After all, friends are supposed to help each other, right?

-

–

—

Saeyoung jolts awake, the fear of God in his chest. For a moment, he swears he hears footsteps coming down the hall: Loud, uneven thuds that signal the arrival of someone he’d assumed long gone from his life. With a frightened cry, he leaps out of bed. His gun, his gun, where is his  _ gun? _ Is she finally here to finish the job? To destroy what’s left of the boy inside? His knees knock against cold tile, and he gasps at the sensation of ice shooting up his nerves. But that’s nothing, nothing, nothing. Nothing in comparison to what could be in store, to what could be waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. His fingers clasp the drawer handle, yank it open, grasp the pistol inside.

The door creaks open, and he whirls around, gun cocked and ready. The cool amber eyes of his handler stare down the barrel. He raises an eyebrow. Seven recoils.

“I heard you shout,” Vanderwood states, crossing his arms. “Put the gun down, kid, I’m just here to make sure you’re still alive.”

Seven’s arms remain stiff, his pupils blown wide with fear. His breath comes out in quick, short gasps. Slowly, Vanderwood approaches, bare hands displayed to show a lack of weapons.

“Deep breaths, kid, you’re going to make yourself pass out.”

“M-Maybe,” Seven chokes out, still staring at the spot where Vanderwood had just been, “maybe I  _ want _ to pass out.”

Vanderwood stops his advance and sighs. “For fuck’s sake.” Two steps forward, and he yanks the gun out of Seven’s hands. The redhead’s arms fall limp at his sides. He falls forwards, caught under his armpits by Vanderwood and hauled into bed once more. “Go back to sleep. Quit being dramatic.”

A soft, weak laugh sputters from Seven’s lips. “So mean.”

The older man rolls his eyes. “Sleep, I’m not tucking you in.” He turns to leave, pausing at the door. The light streaming in from the hall is blocked off by his body. “I’ll wake you up if something comes up.” He shuts the door, soft griping about ‘babysitting’ following his footsteps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The two-faced Roman god **Janus** presides over transitions, crossroads, and the passage of time. One face represents looking to the past, and the other to the future.


	25. 24: Bes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You put a _bomb_ in a _civilian building?!”_
> 
> “I mean, yeah, that’s the gist of it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to sincerely apologize for the long wait. Recently, I've been very depressed, and as such, my motivation to work on fic has waned. However, I'm on new medication that should (hopefully) bring me back up to a good mental state in a few weeks. I haven't finished the next chapter, I'm taking a break until I know I can deliver a quality piece. However, now that we're approaching one of the narrative beats that I've been anticipating writing for... around a year, now, I hope that my drive will surge back.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this chapter!

He wakes up to blaring alarms from the office. The door slams open, revealing Vanderwood standing there, breathing heavily.

“What the hell is going on? Get up, get up!”

Without leaving much room for argument, he’s hauled out of bed and dragged to the source of the sounds. Seven blinks wearily at the computer screens, eyes taking a moment to adjust. When the images register in his mind, he starts. “What? How the hell… Madame, get me my glasses!” He jumps into his chair and squints, able to make out the pixel skull in the center of the screen—the custom warning graphic he’d made specifically for…

“Oh god, the special security system. Oi, Madame! What time is it?”

_“I told you to stop calling me that!”_

“Answer the damn question, there’re lives on the line here!”

 _“What?”_ The brunet’s figure appears in the doorway. He takes 3 long strides forwards and sets Seven’s glasses down on the desk. “Does it have to do with that civvie girl?” The prolonged silence provokes a sigh. “Shit, I should have told you to quit it with her earlier.”

“This isn’t Agency shit, Vanderwood,” Seven spits, immediately going to the keys. “This—well, you know about the person trying to get into the RFA’s servers, yeah?”

“Yeah. And you’re so sure it’s nothing to do with the Agency.”

“I’m _so sure_ because if it was, then MC would’ve never been involved. You know who they would target first, and it wouldn’t be some uninvolved civilian.”

“Alright, then. Enlighten me; what the hell is actually going on here?”

And he has to explain, he _has to._ He watches Vanderwood’s expression go from anger to confusion to disbelief and then right back to anger.

“You put a _bomb_ in a _civilian building?!”_

“I mean, yeah, that’s the gist of it.” Seven laughs weakly, looks off to the side. “Sorry to drop that bomb on you.”

“Now is _not_ the time for puns. How strong is this thing? What happens if your girl—” Seven’s face bursts into brilliant crimson at this “—decides to leave?”

“Well… heh…” Seven makes a little explosion motion with his hands. _Pew._ He makes a few tiny screaming noises. _Bam! Thud._ “Gone.”

“You… you made a fucking… Jesus Christ, kid! You rigged a bomb that could level the whole building?”

“I mean, yeah. It, well, technically it would just destroy the apartment, but it would take the… well, most of the rest of the structure down with it.”

“And the bomb’s activation protocol has been messed with.”

“Yep.”

Vanderwood groaned and leaned back in his chair. “Alright, kid, you got into this mess. How are you going to get out of it?”

“Well, I need to keep MC in the apartment so it doesn’t blow.”

“Good. Next?”

“I’m going to revert the protocol.”

“Why not just deactivate the bomb? Protocol still has it go off, yeah? If it blows and it can be traced back to you, we’re both dead.”

“I can’t just… do that.” Seven fidgets with the mouse, glances away. “I need to remove the bomb completely to make it one hundred percent safe. And…”

“You’re not going anywhere near that apartment.” Vanderwood’s tone was filled with finality. “If you get near that woman, she’ll be in more danger than she already is.”

“Yeah…” He fingers his phone, playing with the idea of calling her. “I’ll do what I can.”

“As long as you keep our asses covered.” He stands, moves to leave, thinks better of it, stays. “And, kid? Count on getting a new job soon. We’ve been getting far too much sleep lately for the Boss’s liking.”

Seven allows a smile to form on his lips. Vanderwood clicks his tongue.

“There you are. Get to work.” He shuts the door behind him.

He turns his chair, crosses himself, and picks up the phone with trembling hands.

“Please pick up. Please, please, please pick up.”

—

–

-

You pause in eating breakfast when your phone rings. The upbeat ringtone is one you recognize all too well: Luciel. You reach out to take the call.

“Hey,” you mumble, taking your fork out from between your lips, “what’s up?”

_“Emergency! MC, please listen to me. Everything I say, okay?”_

“Okay?”

_“You cannot leave the apartment.”_

“What?!” You blink owlishly at one of the cameras. “Luciel, I have _work,_ I can’t just skip! You better have a good reason for this or I swear to god…”

_“MC, if you leave the apartment, chances are that you will die.”_

You heart nearly stops. “What?”

 _“I can’t tell you much more, just… trust me, please. Call in sick, say you have a family emergency, whatever you need to do, just_ don’t leave the apartment.”

“I’ll… I’ll figure something out. Luciel… will I be okay?”

_“I won’t let anything hurt you.”_

“Promise?”

_“Promise.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Bes** was the Egyptian dwarf god in charge of home security.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated <3  
> Thank you for reading ^^


End file.
